The Party of Terra Liluo
by Bkipper
Summary: The Storm Hawks are invited to a formal Christmas party on Roseate's home Terra. Follow the team through a night of dancing, snowball fights, and romance all around!PxA, JayxFinn and other couples...
1. Chapter 1

**The party of Terra Liluo- Chapter One**

"Okay... There we go." Piper smiled in relief. "Finn, take the rest of the lights to that box over there!" She threw the lights to the blonde, who turned his face the second they collided with him.

"Heads up...Finn." Junko tried to warn him.

"YEOW!" He cried, falling over. Junko chuckled. "That could've been my eye!" Finn yelled at her. Piper didn't turn from her spot on the ladder, Aerrow holding the bottom for her safety.

"Yeah, could've..." Piper trailed off, trying to reach for the last spot the lights had to hang. Her balance was extraordinary, but as the lights fell onto the hook, she lost it. Piper let out a shriek, waiting to end up on the floor, waiting for Finn to laugh at her stupidity, and waiting for Aerrow to hover over her in worry...It never came. She landed softly, but heard someone grunt with her fall. The sound of falling still came as well.

"Dude!" Finn's voice called out. Piper opened her eyes, and found herself in Aerrow's arms. He shook his head to clear out the dazed feeling that had just graced him after the panic. The two were on the floor, Aerrow sitting really, Piper wrapped up tightly in his hold. When he finally regained total focus, Piper smiled and shook her head.

"Thank you, Aerrow. But you really didn't have to." She said gratefully.

"That could've ended worse." Stork filled in, giving a sigh. Aerrow chuckled a bit.

"It's okay... But please, next time, ask me to move the ladder or something. I thought I lost you there." Aerrow replied to her as he helped her up, Piper pulling him up after. Aerrow put more force in his pull though, bringing them close. Piper blushed prettily at first, and then smirked at her Sky Knight.

"Did you just catch me to get close?" The navigator said teasingly. Finn turned away from the two, pretending to gag. Stork threw his hands up into the air, and walked away mumbling things like: _Nothing's getting done... love bug..._

Aerrow face pretended to turn into shock. Then he proclaimed in a fake English accent:

"My dear lady, I am appalled you would suggest such a thing!" Piper laughed in his embrace. Aerrow then shyly kissed her on the lips, the relatively new couple enjoy these little moments. Radarr covered his eyes with a whine. Piper smiled in their kiss, then broke it.

The alarm suddenly made everyone jump nearly out of their skin, its red light blinding half of the Storm Hawks. Stork raced to the periscope, craning it around to look for the person who set it off. A brown haired girl waved into the lens, her grin beaming on her wind whipped face.

"Uh, yeah. It's Roseate." Stork uttered from his place, the Storm Hawks who had crowded around him turning to each other with smiles on their faces. Piper smiled the widest, and raced to greet her good friend with the rest of the team on her tail.

The runway opened to let her skimmer touch down. Roseate dashed off, Heron bounding after her. Piper was knocked over by the huge dog, the two girls laughing merrily. Aerrow leaned next to Piper, but was launched back when Heron's affection was passed on. Piper got back up onto her feet, Stork by the doorway to avoid the slobbering dog.

"HEY!" Rose finally called.

"OH MY GOSH, HEY!" Piper greeted her with a friendly hug. The two girls laughed again, Aerrow unsteadily getting up. Heron allowed Junko to pet him, and was wagging his tail so fast it looked like a blur of black.

"How are you guys?" The girl asked the rest of the team when Piper let her go. Rose suddenly looked over Aerrow and Junko to see Stork in the doorway. "Stork, it's okay, Heron usually works out his excitement with the first few people. Piper and Aerrow got the most of it." The Liluoian ended with a laugh. Stork warily made his way over.

"Where are your brothers?" Aerrow asked, looking to the sky behind her.

"Oh, they're back home with Max. Max and his father own a merchant ship business and they are the only ones who know about my Terra for now. And you guys. Max brings us supplies we need once in a while... He decided to stay at my home with his band I hired for Christmas. I've known Max since we were five... he's my age." Rose patted Heron when he returned to her. "And speaking of Christmas..."

"Yeah! Only two days left!!" Finn hollered with excitement. Rose and Piper exchanged a look while suppressing giggles. Rose ran a hand through her brown hair before continuing.

"Well... I came by to ask you guys if you want to come by my place for a party I'm having. I invited the Absolute Zeros, Rebel Ducks, Saphire, and Jay and her crew. I remember you guys talking about them." Piper's mouth was agape.

"Really?!" She asked, her orange eyes lighting up.

"Yeah!" Rose's blue eyes rested on everyone.

The two joined hands and screamed in a giddy manner. Aerrow and Finn (especially Finn) took the blow of the ear drum breaking sound waves. Finn was frozen afterwards, Aerrow putting a finger in his ear to make sure it wasn't bleeding.

"Dude... Your girlfriend just made me go deaf!" Finn yelled at the red head, which put his hands up in surrender. Rose gave a confused look to the two boys, and then smiled slyly.

"His- girlfriend?" Rose asked. Finn nodded without looking at her. She turned back to Piper. "Is he- are you- You're AERROW'S _GIRLFRIEND!!"_ Rose screeched, Radarr perking up his ears to hear if there was another one of his species in here.

Piper nodded with a grin, a light blush apparent on her face, Aerrow smiling and blushing as well.

"Awww... well I kinda figured..." Roseate smiled to her friends. "What'cha being so coy about!? You guys love each other! Don't be shy about it!"

The two only blushed more, Aerrow vainly trying to hide it. Finn smirked at his friend's bashfulness. The blonde pointed his thumb in the leader's direction.

"Thank you, Rose." Stork had come closer. "We've been trying to get them to stop this... infection from getting worse. I even hid all the mistletoe." The Merb said in a shaky voice, suddenly taken aback by the glare Piper sent him.

"So it was YOU who hid it all! I blamed Finn for that!" She crossed her arms in displeasure. Rose gave her a look."Well, it's not that bad... I really didn't mind punishing Finn..." Piper met her friend's eyes, and the two laughed again. Finn pouted. But then he remembered something Rose had said.

"Wait, didn't you say Jay was gonna be there?" He moved around Aerrow to get to Roseate, who nodded. Finn slicked back his hair with his hand, Junko shrugging when Rose pointed at the Wallops' best friend.

"And Saphire?" Piper asked.

"The Absolute Zeros?" Aerrow chimed in.

"And the Rebel Ducks?" questioned Junko.

"Yes, yes, and yes!" Rose laughed. "I gotta go... I may have put Saphire on my list, but I still gotta ask her." Rose waved goodbye, and with one more hug to her best friend, she got on the skimmer, Heron jumping into the co-pilot's seat. Rose was about to flick on the switch when she suddenly recalled she forgot something. "OH! And I forgot, the party is, well, formal... Max's dad wouldn't let him play if it wasn't formal... So dress nice!" She sheepishly grinned before giving them one more wave and took off.

The doors of the runway closed, Aerrow glancing to Piper, who retuned his gaze. He loved how she knew when to look back at him.

"I guess if nobody minds, then Stork," Aerrow said to the pilot. "Set a course for Terra Liluo!"

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Woo! I'm making my way with this story... beginnings always aren't that fantastical. Roseate is from my first fanfiction: Roseate of Terra Liluo, so if you didn't know who she was... you might want to read it. I want to thank Jazzy Pony and DevilsangelSaphire for letting me to put their characters (Jay and her amazing crew, and Saphire) into this Storm Hawks Christmas story!


	2. Chapter 2: Greetings and Gettogethers

**Chapter two- Greetings and get -togethers**

"I still can't believe Roseate is letting nearly thirty people come to her Terra!" Piper was a bit baffled.

"But its Christmas...I don't see why not." Aerrow stood next to her, shrugging. Radarr was settled on his shoulders, a little peppermint candy cane sticking out of his mouth. Piper smiled at the little creature, and leaned in to give him a pet. Her face was beside Aerrow's, their hair brushing lightly against each other. Piper ruffled his blue fur, Radarr giving a contented whine when she had reached a spot behind his ear. She giggled.

"I think we all know each other too well." Piper's comment was meant for everyone, who continued with their business. Junko was trying to fix the radio, giving it little taps and twisting each knob. Stork slowly flew the _Condor_ onwards, while Finn was somewhere trying to look good. _For Jay..._ He had said.

Aerrow had noticed Piper being more clam these days, grace and beauty flowing around and surrounding her no matter what she did. As she smiled again as Radarr relaxed in her scratches, Aerrow saw the light catch her eyes with a glorious flicker and glow that took his breath away. Her dark colored hand dropped from the rabbit-monkey, and she was about to pull back. Aerrow grabbed her wrist, an action that left them both in surprise. He just wanted to kiss her so badly. Piper saw this, her gold eyes closing in acceptance. Aerrow moved closer to her, silence bestowed on them both. The boy could feel that he was close, but before they could meet, a jerk from the ship sent the two head over heels (haha... love pun!) and onto the floor. Stork looked back from the controls.

"Oops... I think we hit an air pocket." He nervously laughed. Piper, who was pinned under Aerrow, glared at him. Junko got back up from the floor, hiding one of the knobs that he had accidentally ripped off. The couple picked themselves up, Aerrow smiling sheepishly at the girl he had nearly crushed. Piper waved her hand at him, forgiving him.

"Are we ever going to get some time alone?" He asked her. Piper opened her mouth to say something more, but Finn at that moment waltzed in.

"Not until you guys get a room..." remarked the marksman.

"Thank you, Finn." Piper muttered sarcastically.

"HEY! I think I got the radio working!" Junko called, Piper turning around to him as a song began to fall feebly from the speakers. The Wallop punched the radio, Piper nearly flipping out. Its volume rose to a reasonable level, Aerrow gawking at the now proud Junko.

"Okay... I'm not even gonna ask how in the world you got it to work." Finn commented, and continued to look for something.

"I think we're almost there... Wasn't this the place we lost power last time we came to here?" Stork looked around frantically.

"Its okay, Stork. We'll be fine this time." Piper assured, but when she finished her sentence, the ship jerked, the team screamed, and snow suddenly swirled around outside of the windows.

"Really?" Stork said, trying to keep the ship steady as they tried to land in the snow.

"At least I hope we'll be fine." Junko sounded out Piper's thought as she looked at Aerrow, who chose that moment to look back.

"Well thank Atmos... That snow storm started about twenty minutes ago! Saphire and I thought you weren't gonna make it!" Roseate ran up to the team as they emerged from the storm and into her home. Aerrow and Piper were huddled together, Aerrow's face in front of hers to shield it from the wind. (I'm so sorry but.. Aww) Finn's teeth were chattering and he was muttering something under his breath. Junko shook the snow out of his hair and smiled at the people looking back. Stork was shivering completely, and Yuro who had opened the door watched in surprise as Stork walked past everyone and collapsed by the fire place. Saphire took a step back, shared a look with Rose's brother Jay-Jay then turned her eyes to her good friends the Storm Hawks.

"Hey!" Saphire called out.

Piper broke from Aerrow's grip to race to her friend. They greeted each other with a hug, laughing and saying welcomes all the while.

"How come girls hug when they greet each other?" Finn asked Aerrow, the red head shrugging.

"I'm not really sure. You could just ask them." He gestured to the two girls, who gawked back.

Piper sighed. "Finn, it's like our version of that ridiculous gun slinger sign you always use."

"Only a lot less..." Saphire put a finger to her chin, not sure how to end it.

"Egotistical?" Piper offered, the two giggling at the marksman's expense.

"Hey Aerrow." Saphire said after the laughs died down. "And, Finn, Junko, Radarr... Stork." Saphire smirked down to the Merb, who only waved his hand up in response. "So Roseate tells me that you two," She pointed back and forth at the Sky Knight and the navigator. "Are a couple. Piper girl, why don't you tell me these things!?"

"I don't know... Aerrow kinda took over my life." Piper said with a tone that encouraged that it was a good thing. The boy in question wrapped his arm around her waist as if to confirm it.

"Awww..." The brown haired young woman cooed. Roseate walked over, her brothers pretending to gag with Finn.

"I said the same thing!" The blue eyed girl added. The two shot comments of proof back and forth.

"It's so sweet!"

"He gets jealous when ever she babbles about some guy, you can tell." Rose grinned, remembering the time Max's cousin, Coby, flirted with Piper. Aerrow had been seething.

"Like she does that anymore!" Saphire finished, the two bursting out in laughs. "Aerrow will kill 'em!" The two only laughed louder, Piper giggling along.

"ROSE? I can't find that 'hidden dresser' you were talkin' about!" Jay's voice broke out from the stair case, creating physical quotation marks in the air for the certain words as she appeared. "Mikey's never gonna leave the kitchen, either." Jay stepped to the bottom of the stairs, and froze. "FINN?!"

"Jay!" Her loved one called back. Finn was then tackled, but maintained to stay standing, by Jay, the two blondes spinning around with the force of her speed. Jay-Jay and Yuro made gagging noises, Saphire trying to hold down a full blown laugh.

"Well," Rose's littlest brother said to everyone. "This Christmas is gonna be a bunch of mushy romantic crud!" Jay-Jay ended in a shriek like voice, Yuro nodding in agreement.

"The other people won't be here till much later, and they'll be in the huge sunroom in the back of my house. The party's actually tomorrow, Christmas eve." Roseate looked all around. Jay, Rose, Saphire, and Piper all exchanged looks. Aerrow stared down to his girlfriend, puzzled and a bit unnerved by the glances they were sharing. Fin was still holding onto Jay, and gave a frightened look to Aerrow. Junko and the two boys raced by, Yuro saying something about the mistletoe.

Crowe was sitting silently on the couch and at that moment, brushed some silver hair from her face and decided to yell:

"GIRL'S NIGHT OUT! Well in really..." It made every one jump out of their skin, Aerrow pulling Piper in by her shoulders by instinct, Finn doing the same with Jay. Then the five girls smiled and laughed, realizing the moment that they had in front of them. For Piper, it was like salvation from her boy infested world. The same with Roseate. The girls broke from the room, nearly knocking over Tex and Wes as they were coming down the stairs. Tex was kicked in the back by Crowe on the last step, her triumphant laugh ringing in her boyfriend's ears. He fell to the floor, Junko stepping back and holding up Yuro, who would've been crushed by the older teen.

"What in god's name did you guys say to them?" Wes questioned the small crowd of Aerrow, Finn, Stork, Junko, Jay-Jay and Yuro.

"Please tell me they're still sane!" Tex begged in a raspy voice, still trying to regain his breath. Mikey stuck his head out from the kitchen, a cookie in his hand.

"GNO." He simply stated before shrinking back into the warm kitchen.

"What?" Tex and Wes confusedly burst out with.

Finn's shoulders slumped as he muttered: "Girl's night out."

"Well in really." Stork put in.

Once again, this story would not be going as wonderfully if Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire hadn't let me put their characters in the story. Jay, Mikey, Crowe, Tex, Wes, and the Jay X Finn pairing belong to Jazzy Pony, while Saphire belongs to well... Saphire! Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3: GNO!

Thank you for the review! Now for a little poem before we start on: **Chapter 3: GNO (girls/guys night out)**

So for the rest of the night all went well, the girls enjoying their time, while Finn gave them hell. Crowe threatened to kick his butt and away he went; his eavesdropping days totally spent. However, in the mind of our dear Sky Knight, things most certainly were NOT all right.

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"What's up Aerrow?" Wes sat next to the red head, which was deep in thought. Jay-Jay dashed up to them.

"He's thinking about Piiiiiper!" The nine year old said in a sing-song voice before Yuro whispered something in his ear. The two boys totally ignored the older teens while sharing a high five and leaving up the stair way with Finn.

"He may have a point, am I right?" Wes chuckled at Aerrow, who nodded. Wes was a bit older, and seemed to have a knack for looking out for everyone.

"It's just... Well, I kinda... forgot to get Piper something for Christmas. I just couldn't figure it out! She's hard to find things for." Aerrow tried to explain.

Wes smiled knowingly. "I don't think I've ever had a problem getting stuff for my sister... But you know she's my sister, not my girlfriend." Wes patted him on the back. "Don't stress about it. And if you think about it, sometimes giving her a good _time_ is better than a good gift."

"Huh. I never thought about it that way. I think I could do that pretty well." replied Aerrow.

"I think you know her pretty well too. Come on man, Mikey says that Rose's cookies are to die for." The two guys left for the kitchen where Tex, Junko, Stork, and Mikey resided. Heron trotted over to them, wagging his tail at Aerrow, demanding attention.

"How long have you known Roseate?" Aerrow asked, a little confused at how this get-together worked out. Wes explained.

"A while back, she and her brothers were at a nearby Terra looking for any information about their parents. And for supplies. Their Terra had been pretty banged up in a fire."

Aerrow nodded, remembering the wildfire that had sparked when they were there last.

"But she and her brothers weren't that familiar with the Terra, and ended up in a pretty bad part of town. They almost took Jay-Jay away... Mikey managed to distract the guy while Tex knocked him out. Jay and Crowe helped her with the rest of the men. But I gotta say; she somehow kept the men at a distance with some ice wave that came out of nowhere!" Wes's face displayed the baffling truth, but Aerrow knew the secret of this power, as the rest of the Storm Hawks did. He assumed that Rose hadn't told the Silver Falcons yet. But, the red head thought that wasn't any surprise, the blue eyed fifteen year old was normally a clam when it came to people she didn't know. "Rose is kinda quiet though, when it comes to people she doesn't know..." The sixteen year old said, almost reading Aerrow's mind. "She cares about her brothers a lot too, but I don't blame her. I'm the same way with Jay." He added as they entered the kitchen.

"What I find odd is that her brother, Jay-Jay and your sister have just about the same names." Aerrow smiled, while Wes gave one back.

"I kinda found it weird as well. I had to keep her brother Yuro out of danger. I still remember Roseate's face when I handed him back. It was one of the most thankful faces I've ever seen. Jesus, her face just lit up like the fourth of July." Wes continued, Aerrow smirking at the older boy's comments. Mikey noted this way before Aerrow.

"Wes." He said loudly as Junko took the cookie he offered. "You're babbling about her now."

"Huh? No I'm not." Wes retorted with, Tex shaking his head as the rust colored hair of the teen shook around his eyes.

"I'm gonna have to agree with Mikey on this one, man." Tex smugly put it, Junko nodding along. Aerrow took a seat with the older boy, remembering when Finn had told him that about Piper. Mikey patted Heron, sneaking the dog a cookie.

"AWW, GREAT!" Stork's loud outburst turned all eyes on him. "I just KNEW that love sickness was contagious! I need disinfectant! NOW!" The Merb took off with a cry of terror, Heron barking in the excitement.

Wes watched him leave, a blush adorning his face. The rest of the crew hooted and whistled, loving this opportunity to burst his bubble.

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"Crowe, I honestly think Piper here needs a little color. Don't you agree?" Jay thought aloud, looking down from the loft above the desk. Roseate was lying on the rug, leaning against the cool windows that went to the floor. Piper froze from her spot on the chair at the desk, Saphire smirking at her place in the bean bag chair.

"Yeah..." Crowe got up from the ladder she was leaning on, "I defiantly agree." The purple eyes narrowed as her fake malicious smile widened.

"And I always wondered what it took to knock a man dead..." Saphire grinned to her accomplices. "Or for this case, Aerrow." Everyone laughed.

"Go for it! My room has makeup in here somewhere... And I think we have a hair curler in the bathroom." Rose left for the bathroom, the other three girls getting out the make up from the drawer Rose had opened.

"Wait! I don't think I should-" Piper stuttered, a bit unsure to be their test subject.

"Its okay, Piper girl." Saphire said while trying to decide between gold eye shadow and the light coco color. "If we do anything wrong, you can mess us up okay!"

"Yeah!" Rose followed through with, plugging the hair curler in by her desk. She closed the door and walked up to Piper, who was slowly being persuaded. "Don't worry. Make up isn't permanent." She finished softly.

"Okay then. But while you guys do that, I wanna do Rose's hair. She NEVER changes anything about it!" Piper grinned, the rest of the girls laughing. Roseate frowned at first, but shrugged as Piper grabbed a brush and some hair ties.

"Piper, don't kill my brother, okay? I know he goes all googily eyed when ever Rose does something even somewhat beautiful." Jay commented, making the other girls giggle at Rose's blushing reaction. The room went silent for a split second, and then flared up again in conversation.

"Hold on a second." Crowe put the blush on the desk, walked to the door, stood straight, pretended to straighten a tie, cleared her throat, and opened the door.

Finn, Yuro, and Jay-Jay tumbled in, the two younger boys landing on Finn. Crowe flashed them a smug smirk from behind the door.

"I still can't believe you're dating him..." Piper turned around to look at Jay.

"Me neither..." Jay said in a growl. "FINN! What are you guys DOING?!"

"Heh... funny story." Finn rubbed his neck, all five girls glaring at the three.

"Go ahead, tell us." Rose motioned for them to go on. Crowe and Saphire made noises of agreement.

"Well uh... Yeah... Finn! Umm... Tell them!" Yuro slowly came out with, the blond teen looking down to him with daggers in his blue eyes. Yuro's own green eyes darted to the girls, still letting him know the girls were there.

"Oh yeah!" Finn smiled sheepishly. "Uhh... well... The boys and I were um... uh...racing! In the... uh... hallway!" he smiled.

"Yeah!" Yuro said.

"Good race!" Jay- Jay nervously laughed.

"And uh..." Finn looked down to Jay-Jay. "Jay- Jay here, uh... fell! On the rug!"

"What! I never-" The little boy chimed in, but Yuro elbowed him in the ribs. "OH! The fall! Yeah, ow... Oww!" Jay-Jay rubbed his arm as if injured, but Rose's icy blue glare made him shut up.

"And uh... I went over to uh... help! But I... um... had to lean on the door to... do so!" Finn tried to put some pieces together.

"And that's when you opened the door!" Yuro finished, the three putting their arms around each other to look innocent. The girls looked at one another, none of them believing one word.

"Finn. I'll give you and the boys five seconds to leave before I call Aerrow up here." Piper threatened.

"I will most certainly enjoy calling Wes up here as well." Jay smiled watching Finn's face go pale.

"I'll just kick your butt myself." Crowe shrugged, cracking her knuckles on her hand. Yuro slid behind Finn.

"Me too. I'd have no problem." Roseate raised her right arm like she did before attack, the boys screaming before bolting down the hall, keeping their screams audible. Finn stood there, laughing nervously.

"Okay then." Saphire counted down. "Five, four-"

"Wait for me!" Finn yelled before dashing after Rose's brothers. Crowe slowly closed the door. All the girls looked at one another, holding in laughs. Piper couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. The rest followed.

"We are so mean..." Jay weakly said between laughs. The snow kicked up outside the window, the night sky blurred with all the white flakes.

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Thanks again to Jazzy Pony and Devilsangelsahpire who let me use their characters!


	4. Chapter 4: Changes and Improvements

So... finally onwards with the story!

**The party of Terra Liluo: Chapter four: Changes and improvements. **

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Piper woke that morning with the sun trying to claw through the curtains next to her face. Her eyes fluttered open, the light cream colored curtains brushing against her face. The cold breeze chilled her, and she stirred some more. The window that her face was turned to was cracked open, a bit of snow settled on the sill outside the glass. Light blue sheets were wrapped around her, a peaceful aura gracing her. A slight creak from the doorway made her turn. Aerrow' eyes met hers, and she couldn't help but smile.

"With me from dawn till dusk, huh?" Piper smartly whispered, the boy quietly making his way across the room to her, making sure not to wake Rose or Saphire who were also sleeping in the light blue and white room. Heron raised his head from the floor, then saw Aerrow, and went back to his sleep, still trying to remain alert for his master.

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked, sitting on her bed, bending his head to avoid banging it on the frame of the bed above them. "I just wanted to see if you were awake. You're usually up with the sun."

"Like you?" Piper sat up as well, the two silently watching each other. "Saphire is a light sleeper. So you better be quiet. I don't want to take the wrap for you if she wakes up." Her playful smile told him all was well, but the girl above the two mumbled something and stirred. Then she fell back to a deep sleep.

"You look... beautiful." He was still shy with her when it came to their relationship. Piper blushed, remembering how the girls had curled her hair quite prettily and then she curtly refused to show Aerrow. The curls were a bit flatter, and her make up was washed off, but the wavy dark blue tresses formed a new volume to her face. The boy's eyes widened when he saw her eyes shift to the window, light glistening in the depths of the golden orbs. "Beautiful." Aerrow uttered his own thoughts, making Piper turn back to him.

"You don't look bad yourself. Except for your hair." She reached forward, her fingers lightly treading through his even messier mop of red hair. "Bed head." She snickered in a quiet tone, Aerrow lightly smiling as he tried not to show her how her hand in his hair was making his heart race. Her hand had pulled him in to her more, the two closer than Aerrow had predicted. Piper was lost in his eyes, their color mesmerizing from the first few days she had begun to know him. Aerrow's hand drew her in from her waist, the covers brushing back a bit. The next thing she knew, her lips were his.

The sudden fire that burst between the two made her become more animated, her other hand digging deep into his hair, messing it up even more. He shifted his position to bring his legs onto the bed, leaning a bit more into her. Piper used her hands to deepen the kiss, Aerrow following her wordless request. The Sky knights' lips were suddenly wild as Piper's hands kept their hold on him. The couple was loosing their air, Piper becoming lightheaded. He noticed her sudden loss of strength, and released her.

She took big gasps of air like her green eyed knight. After their breaths were relaxed again, she met his eyes meekly.

"Wow." He answered, baffled by the fire that had fire that had sent them wild.

"I know." Piper replied.

"Me too... Now I'm trying to sleep!" Saphire's voice broke from above them, and Rose laughed from her spot in the loft above her desk. She climbed down the little ladder, Piper and Aerrow blushing from their discovery.

"You guys should really find a nice spot alone if you want to..." Rose stopped, blushing a bit. "Get into it." That only resulted in a redder couple. "I'm going to go downstairs." She exited with a change of clothes under her arm, and when Heron bolted after her, the room was silent again.

"Don't you two dare start making out again." Saphire scowled from above them.

"You should go... I don't think I want to risk it." Piper smiled and pointed above the two. Aerrow smiled back and without protest, left the room.

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"Aw man..." Rose's voice was light, but extremely audible. The twelve people, not including Radarr and Heron, turned to her as she made her way to the living room. The time was well into the afternoon, everyone helping in their little ways with the party scheduled to be that night.

"What is it?" Junko bluntly asked, Saphire peeking out from behind his form to look at her. Everyone could tell she was a bit distressed.

"Well... I have bad news, worse news, and the worst news." She sighed.

"Go ahead, Roseate." Saphire encouraged, placing her hand on Junko's shoulder to push the Wallop back a bit to get a full view on the girls face.

"The bad news is that I forgot to tell you yesterday that the Rebel Ducks can't come. They're celebrating Christmas in their own traditional way. The worse news is that the Absolute zeros were attacked, and just called in to say they can't-"

"Wait! They're under attack?!" Aerrow cut her off, his arm falling from Piper's shoulders. "We have to help them!" The others started to agree, but Rose kept them there by continuing.

"They WERE attacked. Suzi- Lu just told me that they won, but didn't want to risk a takeover while they come here. It's best for their home." Rose folded her hands in front of her, remaining calm. Jay-Jay whispered something in Yuro's ear, and the older boy piped up.

"But what's the worst news!?" Yuro exclaimed.

"She's getting to it, little man. Relax." Tex ruffled his brown hair, Yuro nodding to the older boy.

"Remember that band my friend Max said was coming?" Rose questioned.

"Don't tell me. They died a tragic death in this horrendous snow storm." Everyone looked to Stork, who shrugged it off. "It could happen."

"Well, the snow storm plays a part. The only ship that can get them here safely is on another merchant mission, I guess. And Max's father said he was not going risk the boy's lives for this. I don't blame him." Rose finished, Wes noticing her quite content due to this news. "It's for their safety. I wouldn't let anyone risk their butts on Christmas for a party!" She smiled as everyone relaxed from unexpected feelings that might've erupted from the brown haired girl.

"Who cares!?" Jay called out from her spot with Finn, grinning wide.

"Yeah! We got a party right here!" Crowe added, agreeing with her good friend. The others nodded and gave their "Yeah!"s in for spite.

"Why don't we just watch how the rest of the day progresses, and when the snow stops, go outside for a-"

"SNOW BALL FIGHT!" Junko and Finn cut Piper off, the two nearly bouncing off the walls with the new opportunity. Crowe shot Tex a devilish smile, the boy getting a bad feeling about this suggestion.

"Exactly what I was going to say..." Piper sighed, leaning her head on Aerrow's shoulder, the boy grinning down to her. Everyone at that moment dashed off to get things to make the night more personal and fun. Crowe, Jay, and Finn went outside to head for the _Osprey,_ to get music. Aerrow (with Radarr on his back), Piper, Saphire and Stork headed upstairs for a closet Piper remembered had some other decorations in. Yuro, Jay-Jay, and Mikey dashed into the garage for certain things the boys were babbling about. Rose, Wes, Junko and Tex were left in the living room, unsure what to do. Heron laid on a sun spot on the rug and went to sleep once more, glad that big uproar was over.

"I think I'll go make more cookies. Mikey, and think some of you, ate all of them." Roseate smirked at the sheepish reactions. "That's fine. You guys can chill if you want." She exited, Tex pulling some cards from the coffee table in the center of the room. He looked to Wes and Junko.

"Who's up for cards?"

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A bit later, while Tex was easily beating them at Poker, Wes faintly caught a light humming of a song from the kitchen, the light airy voice seeping into the living room. Tex glanced up to him, smirking. He nodded in the kitchen's direction, and went back to playing cards with Junko. Wes shrugged off his comrade's reaction, heading for the warmer kitchen.

"Need any help?" Wes asked, walking behind Roseate as she mixed some cookie dough at the counter. Her face whipped around, surprised at the sudden presence. Her hums stopped, and she ran her hand through her brown hair, pushing it back from her face.

"Not really. I make these every year. I used to with my mother but after she left... I kinda took over. This will be the second Christmas I've had to do so." Rose explained, sighing. "But the only thing I need is to keep Mikey away from these ones. I need them for the party tonight. At least, what's left of it."

"Come on. Just because the Rebel Ducks and the Absolute Zeros couldn't make it, doesn't make it less of a party." Wes tried to assure her.

"Oh yeah, and I suppose that the band not being able to make it either is just a coincidence too?" Rose smirked for spite, trying to get him to understand how much just couldn't happen.

"I'm just saying!" Wes put his hands up in surrender. She laughed.

"So am I. But its okay... I bet a formal party wasn't really anyone's style anyway."

Rose turned to him, the bowl against her stomach while it was being stirred. Wes bit his lip. She might have a small smudge of cookie dough on her cheek, her face may have been a bit flustered from the warm kitchen, and her hair might have been a little messier then she would've preferred, but she just about killed him on the spot.

"Are you alright?" She walked a bit to him. "If the kitchen is too warm for you, maybe you should go out to the sunroom. It doesn't have much heating out there."

"No, no, I'm okay." The green eyed teen replied, Mikey quickly peeking in from the garage door with a smirk on his face. He disappeared. "You sure you don't need anything?"

"Nope. I just have to add one more thing." Rose sweetly smiled to him.

"What's that?" Wes asked.

"Oh... It's not a real thing. It's more like a tradition. My mother and I used to put a bit of a mistletoe leaf in the batter. Just the piece of one leaf. For love." Rose made her way to the mistletoe hanging from the nearest doorway. With one hand still holding the bowl, she reached up to the green and white plant. Her slim fingers just grazed the bottom of the plant, not able to grab a leaf safely. "Finn... I told him not to hang it so high!" She scowled. "Wes, you're tall, can you get one?" His heart skipped a beat.

"Uh... okay." He cautiously made his way over, Rose stepping out of the doorway to his relief. The sixteen year old easily took a leaf off, and handed it to her. Their hands brushed, and Rose jumped a bit when a sensation like electricity shot up her hand.

"Th-Thank you." She lightly said. Her hand ripped it up, and dropped it into the bowl. Her blue eyes watched the little green pieces disappear into the tan colored mix. Rose walked by Wes in the doorway, her ocean smell bombarding him. Tex whistled from the couch with Junko, who was laughing a bit. Wes hid his face, and went back into the kitchen with Roseate. She opened the oven, a simmering pan with cookies almost ready to go meeting her. Wes leaned in as well, loving the smell of the cookies. It reminded him of his own mother. Her face turned and watched him with a smile.

"Doesn't it remind you of your mother?" She asked, Wes jumping a bit from her mind reading sentence.

"Yeah. I don't have a mother anymore." Wes said as he pulled back from the oven, Rose shutting it. He leaned on the island counter in the center of the kitchen. "I don't know how Jay and I got over that."

"It must be hard. I still have hope in my parents returning alive someday. It's a bleak hope, but it lasts." The fifteen year old girl looked down, setting her bowl by him and continuing to mix it. He sympathetically smiled to her. "I still hope so my brothers don't stop waiting for our mother and father. Sometimes I just wish they would answer us."

"You don't know if you're always doing the right thing, huh Rose?" Wes added, remembering how he had to take care of Jay when they were younger.

"Yes. And now that my parents are gone, my brothers are the most important thing in my life." Roseate was a bit gentler with this statement.

"Jay's the same with me. I couldn't imagine life without my sister. She did save my life, as I did for her." Wes stopped leaning on the counter.

"Jay probably isn't the only one you've saved. You and your team saved my brothers, you know. I'm still grateful for that." Roseate picked up the bowl to put it in the oven. The passageway to the oven was past Wes, and she picked up the bowl to squeeze by. At that moment though, Jay-Jay and Yuro raced behind her, knocking the bowl out of her hands, and knocking her foward. They disappeared, quite loudly, from the kitchen, Yuro holding something in his hand. Mikey ran past the two by going around the island, calling after the boys.

"JAY-JAY! YURO!" Rose yelled; her face turned from Wes. His hands had caught the bowl that was only thing from keeping her from crashing into him. "Jeez, sorry about that, I-" She swiveled her face back to him. Then her heart began to beat wildly as she grasped how close she was to him.

Wes didn't know what to do. But he knew what he _wanted_ to do. _Did this kitchen get warmer? _He thought.

His face leaned in towards hers, her heart beating so fast in her chest. Rose was a bit thankful that his eyes were closed as she blushed like crazy. His hand rested on the side of her face and he pushed her upwards. Wes couldn't explain his sudden actions, a wild urge the only thing driving him on. A wave of energy flew through her body as the crystal in her arm burst with heat. Rose's breaths became ragged, their sound filling his ears.

A sudden DING made Wes halt, Rose shutting her eyes tight. Wes kept his shut, too embarrassed to look her in the face.

"The oven..." She lightly whispered, his hand falling from her face. He felt Rose's body slowly move from his, the bowl which had been pressing against his stomach leaving with her as well. Wes finally opened his eyes, watching her replace the finished cookies with the new batter as she spooned a bit to create each one. He noticed her shoulders heaving with the same ragged breaths that had drowned his mind moments ago. An awkward tension built in the kitchen, the oven closing with its new cargo. Roseate's face was revealed to him, flushed and almost disturbed. "I uh... don't need anything more... Thanks Wes." She couldn't bring her eyes up to meet his, the blue orbs desperately searching for something else to look at. He cursed himself in his mind, damning his urge for ending this friendship between the girl who left him in mystery still. Her sleeve fell down a bit from her hand as she ran her fingers through her brown hair, and he noticed a blue glow from right behind the cloth. But when Rose's eyes accidentally met his, he felt his face flare up like a wildfire and he forgot all about it.

"I'm gonna go...help Tex..." Wes motioned to the living room behind him, and Rose forced a smile and let him leave.

"What is wrong with me?" She leaned against the counter, tilting her face up to the ceiling. Rose then rubbed the crystal on her arm, the heat dying down. She sighed, and started to clean up the supplies that she had used to bake with.

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That took forever! Whew! But I'll still be here tomorrow! Thanks to Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire! And don't worry, Jazzy, next chapter is Finn and Jay's!


	5. Chapter 5: Tunes and trust

WOOT! Now here we go... Its a little shorter than the other chapters but: **Chapter five: Tunes and trust **

And for reference, the little tune Jay and Finn play is the beginning of: Boston. But in a much slower tempo...

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Jay dragged a box full of records into the sunroom, chilly as ever.

"Why isn't there heating in here?" She whispered a bit bitterly. Placing the box in the corner next to the record player, the fair-haired girl suddenly noticed a covered lump hidden by the curtains. She cautiously made her way over, the curtains breezily swaying in the little drafts of winter wind that managed to get through. She reached out, fingers warily pushing the curtains away. The maroon cover clung tighter to the form, and Jay realized with a smile that it was a piano.

"What are you doing?" Finn's voice rang in the big empty room, the other blonde letting the records drop next to her box with a bit of a heavier thud.

"Careful with those!" Jay called back, "Some are Crowe's, and I don't think you want her angry at you, am I right?" She laughed at her loved one's horrified expression. "Don't envision it, you'll go mad. That how Tex got to be what he is today." Finn joined her in laughter.

"So, what are you doing?" Finn asked again, and Jay turned back to the piano. And in one graceful movement, she whisked the cover off the shining black instrument, making the curtains billow in the sudden wind.

"Playing." She answered.

"I can play too, you know. I learned when I was little, and I still know how." He said in a slight bragging tone. Jay shook her head and smiled.

"Really?" Jay leaned on piano as Finn sat on the stool and pressed a few keys, their light airy sound filling the sun touched room. "Well then, grand piano master, give me a song." Her blue eyes flickered with a teasing light, Finn only nodding his head and finding his key that could begin the song.

The tune was repetitive, but was familiar to Jay. The melody didn't have a base to it, only the higher keys playing for the two.

"Nice, but you're forgetting something, oh great master." Jay broke the sound, Finn stopping to raise his eyebrows as if to ask: _What?_ "The base. Or lower harmony. My father used to play this song for some reason, and I'd play the lower part. I'll show you." She scooted him over on the stool; the two huddled close together due to the size of the bench. Jay sighed as she cuddled into his form, warmth welcoming for the blue eyed girl. "Go ahead."

Finn played again, but this time, Jay added the lower notes. Her new melody harmonized with his, forming a foundation for him to work on. His light and cheery tune was like the wind that almost laughed in her ears whenever she could fly on her skimmer peacefully. Jay and Finn kept with the song, repeating it over and over to get a full feeling for it, and Jay looked at him with full smile, enjoying his presence completely. Finn kissed her lightly on the lips, loving her for just being her. The two changed the song quite a few times, so in harmony with one another to be able to do so.

"I got a question for you." Finn said; the tune finally changed back to its original state.

"Yeah, Finn?" Jay didn't look up from her hands afraid she would loose the notes.

"I've wondered this for a while. And I want to ask you: Why does Wes let you, well, be with me?" Finn finished a bit uncertainly, the question nagging him for quite some time. Jay stopped playing, the room going silent again.

"Because." Her voice was light as she turned to him, their faces close. "He trusts that I'm able to balance my love between him and you. I love my brother with every fiber of my being."

"And what about me?" He said with a smile. She lightly laughed.

"You're just as wonderful, Finn." Jay felt his hand rest on hers that was on the piano.

"Of course." Finn answered, Jay rolling her eyes.

She decided that she was done talking, and kissed him suddenly on the lips, bringing up her other hand to hold the side of his face. Finn clutched her hand on the piano, keys being struck in a harmonic tone. His hands then left for her waist, to pull her to him in a swift but effective move. The two continued to kiss each other senseless on the piano stool, the curtains lightly flowing around them from the chilly drafts.

Rose had heard the piano playing earlier, her dear mother's piano, and left the kitchen for the sunroom. She leaned against the door frame, smiling. Silently she agreed that she wouldn't want her mother's piano to be used for anything else but the love that was beating in the hearts of the two souls resting there. Saphire and Junko walked up to her, Saphire mouthing a silent aww. Junko's hand rested on her shoulder, the girl enjoying his company. Rose, in an almost motherly way, put a finger to her lips and began to shoo them away, Rose closing the door halfway to not only keep the chill from entering the house, but to give the couple some privacy.

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"Aerrow, look!" Piper's head was sticking out of the living room window. The Sky knight looked out beside her, noticing dusk concluding, and more importantly, the snow stopping. A full moon began to show from above the trees, the fresh snow lightly sparkling in the moonlight.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, and turned back to everyone who was dancing lightly to the record player. "Hey guys! Snow's stopped!"

"What!?" Finn called, looking up from the dramatic dip he had Jay in. Radarr coked his head to the side, watching everyone begin to mobilize.

"Awesome!" Crowe leapt up and raced to the door, gabbing her coat and scarf. The rest followed, Jay-Jay and Yuro high-fiving with a: YEAH!

Rose stopped the record player, Heron running around her in excitement. She laughed as the dog's sudden push from behind and continuation of circling reminding her of when he was a puppy.

"Heron! I'm going, I'm going!" Rose assured while laughing in the carefree attitude her friends had blessed her home with. "Christmas Eve... at last!"

She shrieked as the boys impaled her with a snowball as she closed the door behind her. "YURO!" She scowled at him, the boy smiling and dropping his arm. Everyone else laughed, Piper and Aerrow huddled together. Heron raced around everyone now, Mikey ruffling the fur on his head as the dog walked by.

"Wes showed us how to aim!" Jay-Jay nodded his head to the older teen as he launched another one at his sister, it hitting her in the side.

"Wes did?" She smirked at him, Wes only smiling back. "Well then," She winked at her littlest brother, who grinned, knowing what was to happen. She simply flicked her wrist, the snow beneath Wes loosing its support and he fell, face first, into the pile that had built in front of him. Jay laughed the loudest, not used to seeing her brother outsmarted. "He gets the prize." Rose lowered her arm as she finished.

"That's what you get when you try to help..." Wes said as he spit snow out from his mouth. He got up, Rose still standing calmly at the doorway, her eyebrows raised in a manner as if to say: _What? You deserved it._

Another snowball flew through the group, hitting Tex with such a force that he fell over. Crowe stood a ways away, tossing a snowball back and forth between her hands.

"I think we should have a free for all...It would be more interesting that way." She grinned at the rust haired boy, who shot her look of hatred. "All in favor signify by saying AYE!"

"AYE!" A chorus of Aye's rang out, only Tex and Wes not agreeing.

"Alrighty then." Saphire said. "FREE FOR ALL!" She threw a clump of snow, Mikey ducking at the last second to avoid.

"Too slow." He murmured smartly, but was about to eat his words when Yuro launched one at his shoulder. In a matter of seconds, snow was flying and being hurled back and forth. The teens (and Roseate's brothers) dashed into the forest, whose leaf-less trees were widely spread out. The war began.

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Next chapter is coming soon! Thank you Jazzy and Saphire!


	6. Chapter 6: Cold snow, Warm hearts

I seriously don't need to explain this one:D **Chapter 6: Cold Snow, warm hearts.**

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Rose grinned as the group scattered into the woods. This was her environment. Her boots dug into the snow, each step flattening the six inches of white. Shrieks of surprise and crunches of the snow around her filled the air. Sudden footsteps behind her made her turn, a snowball rapidly heading for her face. She shrieked and flung her arms apart, the snow exploding apart a foot from her.

"WHOA!" Mikey's cry of surprise alerted her that it was just a game. But it didn't mean she couldn't use her power.

"You were supposed to hit her!" Jay-Jay's exasperated yell and Yuro's "YEAH!" made her realize that she was cornered. Her brothers and Mikey threw more, the girl diving and hugging the snow. It began to melt under the heat of her face, and she smiled. Water. All of it.

"Try again?" She rose and mocked as the bombardment suddenly stopped. They got ready to throw more they had just made, and before she could understand what was next, three or four snowballs were heading right for her. She spun in a circle, the snowballs spinning around her once, and flying back to their inventors. Jay-Jay and Yuro fell over with the amount of force, and Mikey was forced to take a couple steps back to steady himself.

"Sorry...Not quite used to that yet!" She called as she ran out of the trap, ready for more.

Piper dashed by her, and ducked behind a tree and Aerrow wailed a small but fast snowball at her leg. It hit, and she looked down, just missing the one Finn had tried to get her in the head with. The two boys ganged up on her, Yuro racing by to nail her in the hip and laughing. Piper tried to gather some snow from a bush and got a bit, turning back on the two. It was only Aerrow, who had no ammo. She grinned, hitting him right in the eyes. But when she twisted back around to run again, she tripped, Finn laughing and pulling a thick stick out from under the snow. He dropped it as the two advanced on her. Aerrow picked her up and kept his arms wrapped around her waist, her arms free. Finn held onto her lower legs, the two boys grinning at their captive.

"AERROW! FINN!" Piper struggled and twisted, pushing Aerrow's arms down so she could try to tip him forward. But the boys were strong.

"What are friends for?" Finn laughed, and then got impaled by a runaway snowball. Piper and Aerrow snickered.

"Sorry, Finn!" Mikey's voice called.

"So what'll it be, Piper?" Finn smirked at her, ignoring the white powder that rested in his hair. One of Aerrow's arms slid away from her, grabbing some snow from a pile nearby. "In the face or down the shirt?" Finn finished, Aerrow putting his face to the side of hers.

"If you don't choose, we will." He taunted in a low voice, her hand shoving him back. He only laughed.

"You're terrible." She turned her face, trying to get sight of him.

"Oh, we know." Finn grinned, and slightly nodded at Aerrow, who nodded back.

And in one swift second, Aerrow pulled back the back of her coat, and shoved the handful of snow he had picked up down her back. Finn laughed as her face went into shock, orange eyes suddenly wide.

"COLD!" She screeched. Finn dropped her legs, the girl's feet landing on the snow.

"You're on your own, man!" He called back, suddenly spotting Jay a ways from here.

"WHAT!" Aerrow yelled, dropping his lover and backing away. She regained her balance, her back arched to try to avoid the cold that was stuck against her bare skin and her shirt.

"Aerrow!" Piper yelled at the top of her lungs, some of the snow finally falling out of her shirt and to the ground. The cold had turned numb, and the girl launched herself at him, the boy freezing.

"Piper, wait!" Aerrow tried to block her, but she landed on top of him in one leap. He fell to the snow, some of it seeping into the back of his jacket. "Cold..." He hissed, the girl on top of him only laughing.

"Not so hot when you have to deal with it, eh?" The couple didn't stay still in the snow, and he pushed her off while digging his hands into the snow to fling it up at her. She laughed and began to do the same, snow flying in a white dust around them. Aerrow grabbed for her, and pulled her to him, her back meeting his chest. Piper's snow filled hair, now down in the same waves she had that morning, brushed him in the face, and then warmth reached him as their faces were huddled close together.

"You really are terrible." Piper said to him, smiling and giving him a quick kiss.

"Yeah, I kinda figured." He sighed. "Who do you want to get back at?" Aerrow suddenly grinned, noticing the other people in the snow war.

"Can you guess?" She asked her love, who was nodding.

"Finn." They both replied at the same time. She laughed in his arms. Aerrow was then pulled up, Piper holding onto his hands. He was about to run off with her when she pushed him, and he fell with a gasp to the ground again. Her laugh proved she was satisfied with getting revenge.

"That's it! I'm going after YOU now!" Aerrow declared, his girlfriend taking off. He ran after her, trying to catch her in the midst of the snowball fight.

Crowe had seen Piper shove Aerrow to the ground and then shook her head when he began to chase her.

"How sweet... I think I'm rubbing off on her." She said thoughtfully. Her attention had been elsewhere, and she let out a yelp when someone grabbed her from behind, laughing.

"And that's a good thing?" Tex's voice definitely did not soothe her.

"Indeed it is dorkweed." The silver haired girl tried to kick him, but only found air as he shifted out of her way.

"NOW!" He yelled, and Crowe turned around to wail on him as he released her. He pointed behind her with a smirk, and Crowe unfortunately (or fortunately, for Tex) managed to turn at the exact moment a huge amount of snow hit her in the face. She fell backwards, shocked and a bit dazed. Yuro and Jay-Jay laughed like crazy, the now bare tree branches they had been holding vibrating from the sudden movement of swinging forward. Crowe felt her blood boil a bit when Tex joined in on the laughter. She most certainly didn't like being laughed at.

"TEX! I'll KILL you!" She rose from the pile that had covered her, and Tex bolted. "I'll get you two later, you wait." She muttered darkly and then left the two boys for Tex, who looked at one another in doubt, then burst out laughing again, falling into the snow.

Jay heard Crowe hooting and hollering after Tex, the teen screaming as he ran:

"It was worth it! It was worth it!" His panic mixed in with his laughs.

"OH YEAH?! After I get you, let's see if it's still worth it!" Crowe she shook her fist in the air, face locked in anger. They kept running past Jay, Tex waving at her as he continued to stay away from Crowe.

"Jay!" The fair-haired girl heard as Crowe and Tex's yell died down. Rose looked down to her, hanging from a tree. "I have an idea. Where's Wes?" The older girl smiled, her brown hair swinging in the wind. The blonde smiled devilishly, starting to piece it together before Rose even said anything more.

The two girls dashed across the snow, Jay leading the way.

"There." Jay pointed to her brother, who was currently doing quite well against Saphire and Junko. Rose decided to speed things up a bit, wanting to get Wes alone before she and Jay did anything.

"Junko! His left!" Saphire cried, tossing a snowball to Wes's shoulder. Wes blocked her projectile, but Junko's big pile of snow caught him and he fell.

"YES!" The girl and the wallop cheered at the same time. Wes messily tossed one at Junko, Rose seeing that it would miss. Her arm shot into the air, guiding the snow to its wanted target. Jay watched the older girl concentrate, the crystal glowing under her shirt and coat. Junko was knocked over by the force. Jay gave Rose a _what was that for? _look.

"I'm not used to this yet!" Rose tried to tell her. Mikey and Heron came from nowhere, and began to take down Saphire. Junko jumped in, enjoying the fun. "What luck..." Roseate said, watching her dog bounce around and keep Saphire from running away. Wes bolted into the trees to the next small clearing, Jay catching him.

"Come on!" She whispered to Rose, who darted along after her.

Wes stopped to catch his breath. He was just glad Rose hadn't come across him yet. Or Jay. Those girls could pack a punch. A sudden gust of wind blocked out the laughs and shrieks from the snow war, and Wes marveled at the silence. Rose smiled, acknowledging how he had let his guard down. She nodded at Jay, who pushed her arms out, her energy focused at the snow in front of him. The snow burst forward in a type of explosion, Wes giving a yell of fright and trying to step out of its way. Jay continued to push out the snow in front, while Rose gracefully moved her arms in intricate movements to control it. She tried to keep her movements light, or the snow would turn into a stream of water. Wes suddenly realized this was his sisters doing, seeing the snow moving in an almost controlled path. Or maybe it was Rose...or both. It buried him in a light layer, the girls laughing in victory and stepping out of the tree line.

"That was brilliant!" Jay hooted, holding her sides. Rose laughed along, but suddenly noticed Wes out of the snow, looking directly at them.

"Oh dear..." She uttered. "Jay? It's your brother." Rose said before he started to gather up some snow to hurl at them. Rose was only able to block some, and her blue eyes closed to try to keep any snow from entering her eyes. Jay had begun running a while ago, and Rose decided to follow, their element of surprise lost. A grip on her ankle pulled her to the ground.

"Oh no you don't!" Wes told her, starting to pull her in.

"JAY!" Rose cried, half screaming, half laughing.

"No help from me!" Jay saluted to her, watching her brother take his prisoner.

"WHAT!?" She shrieked. Not only in disbelief, but due to the fact Wes had thrown some snow at the back of her head, which had all fallen into her coat.

"He's MY brother. And it was your idea to start with!" Jay laughed, winking at her brother. He winked back, his green eyes flickering with mirth. The blonde ignored Rose's cries for help, pretty much lost in her shrieks.

Jay ran off, dashing back to the main area of the snow war. A snowball caught her in the side of her head, and she turned to try to get a view of the thrower.

"You shouldn't abandon your teammate!" Finn's taunting voice called from the trees.

"It WAS a free for all, you do know that, Finn?!" Jay hollered, getting hit in her side. "If I get one good shot at you," She started, forming a snowball tightly. "I'll take it."

"Go ahead! You'll never get meeeeee!" Finn's voice rose and fell in a sing song manner as two more shots nailed her in the leg and arm. A sudden swish of air made her quickly turn, and she got a glimpse of him ducking behind a tree.

"Oh I think I will..." She trailed off, waiting for him to move. He finally did, and realized her eyes were locked on him. She jumped at him, ready to throw her snowball.

"No fair!!!" He screeched as she hit him right between the eyes.

"Fair for me!" She yelled as she tackled him. The two blondes rolled in the snow, Jay finally sitting on top his back as he was pinned to the snow. "Definitely fair for me..." Jay rested her elbows on his shoulders, head held up in her hands.

"You're lucky you're you." Finn commented, twisting his head back at her.

"Same here." Jay smirked triumphantly keeping him under her. She rubbed her nose against his. Another snow ball knocked her forward off of Finn, Saphire's yell of triumph ringing in their ears.

"HECK YEAH!" She laughed. Finn cast a look at Jay, who nodded. They attacked.

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"Well... that was fun." Rose sarcastically breathed out, lying in the snow and pretty much covered in it. Wes was standing beside her, snow in his hair.

"Yeah, for me!" He chuckled. Her fist closed, the snow beneath him jerking.

"Don't make me..." She growled. He only laughed more and extended a hand for her. She took it, happy to get out of the snow at last. Her hands, mitten less, were ice cold.

"Aren't you cold?" Wes asked. She shook her head.

"Water's temperature has no affect on me because of..." Rose then realized she had never told him about her crystal. Only Jay, Crowe, and the Storm Hawks. She pulled back her coat sleeve, her hand still in his. His gasp was light, but still made her look away.

"How did that happen!?" Wes questioned, looking at the blue water crystal in her skin. He could see the veins running around it, as if her body had made room for it. It didn't protrude from the section of skin between her wrist and elbow, but was in there quite deeply. Her palm was facing up, and he traced his fingers over the stone in awe. She bit her lip at the fluttering sensation he left on her skin.

"When I was five, my father and I were looking for crystals... and I fell. But when it cut me, there was no blood. No irritation. And even now it doesn't hurt." Roseate explained, Wes finally looking up to her. "He said that it's now a part of me. If it's removed from my system..."

"You'll die." He finished grimly. She nodded. "Like my sister." She nodded again, for she too had heard Jay talk about her Azure stone. Silence bestowed the two of them, Wes pulling her sleeve back over her arm. Her blue eyes scanned his face.

"I really don't think that's much of a chance anyone's going to get." Wes told her. "Unless they try to pull your arm off." She let out one breathy laugh.

"That's why I don't tell anyone or show it much. In fear someone will try to take it." Rose said. A couple of calls for the two rang out.

"ROSE!!" Jay-Jay and Yuro's voice yelled faintly.

"WES! We're going in!" Jay called.

"Haul your butts!" Crowe shouted. "It's almost nighttime!"

That statement was true; to some extent. The sun had disappeared a while ago, the moon now taking its place.

"Well, come on." Rose pulled her hand from him. "I'll make everyone hot chocolate."

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WOW! One of my longest chapters yet! Thanks again to Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire! And next chapter might be just as long... Happy New Year my fellow Storm Hawkers! Oh and by the way... Stork stayed inside in fear of catching a cold...

Stork: It could happen...I'm serious! Don't go outside! DOOM!


	7. Chapter 7: Christmas Eve

Okay... I have absolutely no way to describe this one... its just...hmmmm... the: FINALLY! Chapter.

**Chapter 7: Christmas Eve**

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"We'll see you guys later! Piper and I are going to go for a walk." Aerrow called before shutting the door behind them. Rose's wave and Mikey's nod was the only response the couple got.

"It's been a while since we've been here..." Piper said, watching the moon's white light fan out endlessly onto the woods and hills of the terra.

"Yeah. But I don't think it changed much." Aerrow replied as Piper's hand slipped into his.

"I don't mean that as much...I mean we've never been here during the winter." Piper gestured to the land, magnificently blessed in a silent sheet of snow.

"That's true." the simple reply from Aerrow was enough for her, and the two took a path into the woods, the trees bent over the small trail, covered in snow. Piper's favorite season might've been spring, but winter was her close second. And for this very reason. Aerrow deep breaths soothed her soul, the boy pulling her closer due to the cold. Her hand rested on his heart, feeling it beat to its own rhythm in a consistent, happy, low sound that assured her that he was here for her. As long as that heart beat, Aerrow's love for her was still alive. Piper could feel her own heart beat, and she heard the two beat one after another. As if their hearts were working for something together. Aerrow felt her relax in his arms, the two making their way through the snow to no place in particular.

"I love you." Piper's voice broke the stillness of winter, to grow into a feeling that made him feel alive.

"I love you too." Aerrow kissed the top of her head. A light snow began to fall, and the two watched the world, torn by war and hate, trying to be pieced back together by love and hope, make a magical scene for the two to benefit from.

They soon found themselves by the waterfall of the terra, a small flock of Roseate Spoonbills' fluttering their pink wings to take off along the small river. The waterfall was mostly frozen over, a light rush of water moving underneath. A ways down, the pond was still, frozen in ice. Piper smiled.

"Let's ice skate!" Piper tugged on his arm, and rushed through the snow.

"But we don't have ice skates!" He exclaimed. Aerrow's comment was ignored as she stopped at the ice's edge. Her boot landed flatly on the ice, and she pushed off from Aerrow.

"You CAN skate with boots..." Piper closed her eyes to glide over an especially icy part.

"What if there's some thin ice?!" He called to her, worry starting to overcome him.

"This pond is frozen over, Aerrow. Running water is the only kind that doesn't freeze. And the moving water kinda stops a bit upstream from here." Piper explained, sighing with contentment. The red head wanted to join her, and warily put his feet on the surface. Piper turned from the edge of the pond to see her lover try to make his way across. It made her want to laugh. How could such a brave, daring Sky knight be totally ungraceful on a small pond?

Aerrow suddenly fell forward, landing harshly on the ice. Piper cringed. Aerrow raised his head up a bit, his chin and chest a little sore. She slid over to him, and dropped to her belly, propping her face on her hands.

"You alright?" She asked, brushing some snow from his hair.

"I think..." He grumbled. She laughed good-naturedly and helped him back up. He held onto her arm, trying not to fall over again. Piper pulled him over the pond, almost big enough to be called a lake. She put her back to him, and Aerrow held her arms that were spread out to either side of her. Aerrow started to push forward, getting his balance. Piper closed her eyes, letting her feet glide over the surface of the ice. The winter wind whistled in their ears. She felt wonderful. Her face tilted to the wind, breathing in the fresh, cold air. Aerrow guided her, running his hands down her arms to lace their fingers. Piper never felt so in tune with not only him, but the world.

A sudden jerk made the two realize they were out of ice, and they fell onto the snow bank. Aerrow twisted sideways, holding Piper to him. His back crashed into the snow, the girl's face hidden in his collar. Silence fell again, the light snow starting to disappear.

"How's that for graceful?" Aerrow gave her a grin.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." Piper snickered. "Thank you."

"For what?" He was baffled.

"Everything." She looked at him, green and orange meeting. Everything... Aerrow remembered everything, it all suddenly flashing in his mind as if death was coming. From the first memory he could regain of them as childhood friends, all the games and smiles, the tragedy of his parents death that she had cured with her unsaid love, all the danger and fun of being a squadron, the first kiss he had shared with her, and then her face was looking back at him, as if nothing had happened. And as soon as the memories had come, they went, into the back of the Sky Knight's mind.

"Everything. You and me..." Aerrow murmured into her face, Piper heartwarmingly smiling back.

She tipped her face down to him, sweetly taking his lips as her own. The Spoonbill flock fluttered over them, some of their pink feathers raining down on the two. Aerrow had twisted his fingers into her hair, Piper suddenly shivering. He pulled away a bit.

"Cold?" His voice was extremely light.

"No." Piper said before trying to kiss him again.

"I'd say you are." Aerrow grinned slyly, enjoying the effect he had on her.

"Just shut up and kiss me, for god's sake!" Piper whispered in a harsh tone, the boy gladly obeying.

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"Can you imagine a place so untouched by anyone, yet so close to Cyclonia!?" Jay asked her brother.

"Well, Rose has done everything humanly possible to protect this place. It doesn't surprise me." Wes shrugged. Their walk was coming to an end, the two leaving a bit after Aerrow and Piper. When Wes had asked Yuro where the two went, the ten year old shrugged and said: "Somewhere makin' out or something."

"I don't understand how she keeps her brothers in line." Jay chuckled, remembering all the ridiculous things Rose's brothers had pulled since she knew them.

"Me either. But I guess they listen to her because she's the only family they have left." answered Wes a bit sadly, Jay suddenly hugging him around his torso. He put his arm around her shoulders, glad he still had a sister like the little dynamic duo. "Merry Christmas, kiddo."

"Merry Christmas Wes." His little sister replied, burying her face into his coat. The siblings, whose family was torn by death, embraced not only each other, but the fact that they were thankfully still alive.

"There's the house." Wes said finally, still keeping his arm around his sister as they continued to walk to the warm home full of friends and loved ones. "You might want to head in there fast, before all the hot chocolate is gone." Wes remembered that Rose was finishing one last round of the drink before he had left with Jay. She had promised enough for the brother and sister and for the love birds when they came back. But the older teen did not doubt that some people would try to sneak more cups. Like... Yuro, Jay-Jay, and Mikey. He laughed to himself.

"What?" Jay looked up to him.

"Oh, just thinking about how Mikey's gonna try to take more than one cup of hot chocolate." He answered. Jay laughed, knowing the black hair teen would do something of that sort. Her eye suddenly caught something.

"What's that?" Her head tried to peak out from the place that was blocked by Wes's form. Her brother turned in the direction she had looked to. A single figure was surrounded by flying snow, the little spinning gusts forming around her.

"Rose... I don't get how she can stand the cold, even with that crystal of hers." Wes shook his head.

"You know? She told you?" Jay was a bit surprised, recalling how timid Roseate had been telling her and Crowe.

"Yeah. After the snowball fight. She just suddenly came out with it..." Wes explained.

"Odd. She's a lot more comfortable with you." Jay narrowed her eyes a bit, noticing how close to her brother the girl was.

"I guess..." Wes trailed off, not really sure how to answer his sister. "I'll go get her. She's gonna get sick out here. With or without that power." His brotherly side took over, Jay shaking her head and smiling.

"You can't just let things lie, can you, Wes?" Jay released her arms from him as they came to the door.

"Go on in. I'll be inside in a second." Wes assured her, giving her shoulders a squeeze.

"You better. You don't have any power whatsoever against this cold." Jay playfully scolded. He smiled and let her go, heading for the brown haired girl. Jay twisted the doorknob, and was about to open the door when an odd feeing twisted her stomach. Something like...

"Jay! You comin' in or not?!" Finn called from inside.

"Yes, Mr. Obnoxious!" She answered with a smirk, and closed the door behind her.

Wes heard Jay's call to her boyfriend and he had to laugh a little. Heron was nowhere to be seen, Wes guessing the dog was inside. As he came closer, her movements were clearer. The snow was twisting and seemingly tied to her, the girl's feet moving without the usual drag of the snow drifts. Her movements were slow and graceful, like an ice skater. Wes leaned his head to one side; taking in the sudden unrestrained beauty that Rose was lost in. The girl bent her elbows and shoulders to jerk forward with the snow that had suddenly tightened into water. It burst apart, each water droplet changing abruptly into snow, Rose rising up to marvel the white rain. She sighed happily, looking at the moon fondly. Wes didn't really know what to do now.

"Wow." He said ever so lightly, Rose gasping and suddenly stiffening. Next thing he knew, a group of five or so icicles, flying at top speed, was heading right for the air above his head. He ducked anyway, the bombardment slamming into the tree, all five embedded deeply in the bark.

"Who's ther- Oh, Wes! Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" She was suddenly herself again; a bit shy, sweet, and motherly. Her hair flowed in the wind, most of it back in a messy bun.

"It's alright... But what was that?!" He exclaimed, still in awe.

"Just some practice...It's kinda a good thing I aimed higher than necessary." Rose rubbed her arm, sheepishly giving him a little smile. "I don't know why, but during a full moon, I'm just full of energy."

"It kinda shows." He laughed a bit nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. She looked away.

"Yeah... I just wish I could've done this to those people on that day I met you." Rose sadly added as she fiddled with her brown hair, and buttoned the last button on her coat, the brown fur lined winter coat coming to her knees.

"Then we probably would've never come to help you." Wes figured, due to the fact that the only reason his team had come was Crowe's hearing of Rose's cries. "Do you remember that day a lot?" He asked decided to walk closer to her, the baffling feeling of her wild water practice wearing off.

"I try not to... Due to all those feelings of dread and fear I remember before you guys saved us." Rose flicked her hand back and forth, the snow moving back and forth like a cobra.

"He looked like he was going to hurt you real bad." Wes growled, remembering the words the man had said to her, her terrified face flashing quickly in his mind. The snow dropped.

"Well, he almost did, and my brothers too. But what I really hated was the whole gun episode. Yuro had a couple nightmares after that." Rose met his eyes. "I don't understand what made him go so crazy."

"He was just mad because he couldn't get his hands on a pretty girl." He had said it casually, but Wes's heart jerked as he realized what he had just said. Rose blushed prettily, and decided to play along a bit.

"And what makes you think you can?" She glanced at him out of the corner of her blue eyes, the boy smiling a bit slyly as his nervousness faded.

"Because I'm faster." Wes ran at her, the girl shrieking and dashing from him. She didn't get very far, though, Wes proving he was indeed faster.

He grabbed her around the waist and picked her up, one of his arms catching her under the knees, and began to spin around. Rose laughed and she flung her arms around his neck. Her hair came undone, the brown locks falling over his arm messily.

"WES!" She laughed out, only remembering one person who used to do this to her. Her father.

"Not letting go!" He declared in a sing-song voice, the boy keeping his hold on her. She let go of him, her arms stretched out into the air. He swung around a couple more times then tossed her into a soft pile of snow. Roseate, totally shocked, sat in the pile with snow adorning her figure. Wes smiled at her, his cunning grin lighting a wild fire she never had the chance to free.

"That's how you wanna play?" Rose asked, bolting after him. He tore into the woods, the girl in hot pursuit. Wes was at a big disadvantage though, the snow curling up at one point to try to take him. He jumped into the trees, Rose losing sight of him, the sea of oak, birch, and maple trees. Silence answered her, her ears pricking back as the air suddenly picked up. She turned to her side to just miss him, Wes's arms closing on nothing.

"You're fast." He commented, pushing back at her on his heel. Rose tucked her arm under his, using his force against him to slide aside. Rose slipped by, turning the snow beneath him into ice. Wes moved out of the way, and in one quick motion, turned on her to trap her, pinning her against a tree. Rose felt something rush through her veins, and she took in a sharp inhale of air. "But not fast enough."

Her smaller hands were pressed between the two of them, and her ice blue eyes locked with his. The ferocity of the small battle wore off, Wes frozen where he stood. She could feel his breath, a bit shallow, on her lips and her heart beat more rapidly against her hands. Something tugged at the back of her brain, a small voice uttering: _Don't let him kiss you! He'll betray your heart! Push him away! Push him away!_ But her heart ached for some reason, a longing feeling swelling inside her and soon swallowing that voice that had plagued her. Wes was focused on the situation he had just placed himself in. He never really felt this way about someone before, his sister his only main priority. But she was just so...so... her. So full of love, of compassion, of assurance, of freedom. A faint sense of freedom that she was forced to hide because of the fate life had rudely given to her. And her voice was always glazed in a strong but cautious tone that was shown in the way she cared for her brothers. The way she cared for anyone. Roseate. Seven letters which made up a girl who had unknowingly stolen his heart for the very first time.

Wes couldn't stop himself. He just couldn't. The boy's eyes closed and he swiftly claimed her lips. Rose's eyes widened at the sensation. The crystal in her arm burst with heat, her heart stopping for a second. Her lips were cold, but soft, and Wes pushed closer when her hands gripped his coat, slightly pulling him to her. Rose shut her eyes and deepened the kiss, their passion mixing together. She realized, with a lighter soul, her heart was his. And she honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

He finally pulled back, cold replacing the almost pulsing fire that had graced their lips. She was left breathing deeply, still in shock of what had just happened. Nothing like THAT had even happened to her when someone kissed her. The last boy to do so never got that kind of reaction with her crystal, or from her heart for that matter.

"I-I think I love you." Rose opened her eyes to him, some of his dirty blonde hair falling into his face.

"I know." Wes could merely answer, blown away by all these new events. She tenderly reached her hand up to brush his hair from his green eyes. Those eyes. Damn those eyes... Full of understanding of life, of burden, and love.

"Dear God... I do love you!" She exclaimed all of a sudden with a cherry laugh, Wes finally smiling.

"Well thank goodness! I thought I was loving someone who didn't love me back!" Wes said with the same amount of happiness, relief hidden amongst it. She let out one more laugh, Heron suddenly racing up to the two, threatening to tip them over and pulling Wes back from the tree. Her hands held onto arms, not letting him go. The two never felt such a fleeting feeling like love before.

"Do...Do you want to go back? If you're cold and all." Rose suddenly questioned as Wes's teeth chattered for a moment.

"You're starting to sound like my sister." He whispered into her ear, still grinning. "And not yet. One more minute."

He kissed her again, enjoying the privilege he had as her lover. Heron raced away from them, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, affected by Roseate's emotions. The dog ran with all his might, the moon breaking from the clouds again, Heron knowing his master would come after him in a couple minutes time.

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Well, now I believe I have established why this is the: FINALLY! Chapter. Thank YOU Jazzy pony for your wonderful characters!


	8. Chapter 8: Christmas Day

How long did this take... I lost count of the days...There's so much LOVE and kisses in this chapter. So much love you're gonna drown in it... DROWN IN IT! But anyway: **Chapter 8: Christmas Day!**

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Jay-Jay finally fell asleep, anticipation of Christmas day making sleep almost impossible. But eventually he did succumb to siesta. Next thing he knew, the sun was shining through the shades on his windows. His navy eyes opened and looked around forgetting why he was excited. Then it hit him.

"Christmas day!" He whispered, and ran to the window, easily throwing the covers aside. He snapped up the shade, light flooding in. His white t-shirt seemed to glow in the reflection of the rising sun on the snow. "Christmas day... Christmas day!" Jay-Jay said over and over, each time louder. He raced out of his door, banging on Yuro's across the hall. "Christmas day!" He yelled when his older brother came out, brown hair ruffled. The older boy smiled and joined the cheer. The two raced down the halls, banging on everyone's door and screaming: "Christmas day! It's Christmas!" Finn's door was the first they nearly broke down, and the blonde shouted:

"WHAT!?" He swung open the door. The two boys were running down the hall, still yelling about what day it was at last. He grumbled, and turned around to close the door behind him when a small cooking crystal hit him in the back of the head. Jay-Jay laughed, and ran faster as the blonde angrily chased them, making their morning roll call faster and louder. "I'll get you two if it's the last thing I do!"

"If Rose finds you, it will be!" Yuro taunted, just out of the older teen's reach. Jay-Jay rounded up the stairs, running his hand along the wall, banging harshly a couple times when he came across a door. The last one Yuro **and **Jay-Jay reached was the girl's room. Rose, Piper, and Saphire stirred as the banging lasted a while, with a couple shouts breaking through.

Rose threw her pillow onto the floor in a growl of frustration, her brothers waking her up in such a way every couple of mornings. Piper almost hit her head on the bunk bed waking up as Roseate jumped from the loft and flung the door open, Yuro and Jay-Jay noticing the doorknob turn and they bolted as her arm tried to snatch them up. Finn was in the way of their escape, but was pushed aside as they ran, Jay-Jay literally jumping down every other step on the stairs, Rose quickly hitting each wooden step on the ball of her foot. Yuro was in front, still yelling: "It's Christmas!" Jay-Jay laughed loudly, others opening their doors to the hubbub. What they would've seen was Yuro, then Jay-Jay, then Finn, and then Rose pass by them in top speed. Stork opened the door and then closed it again, screaming about some type of man eating fish. Wes opened the door, fully awake, and turned his head down the hall, only to pull it back in as Yuro's face just missed slamming into it. He saw Rose flying by last, and shot out his hands to grab her. She shrieked, the two spinning around. Her back was to him, and he had her waist tightly in his hold as he lifted her off the ground.

"WES! I have a brother problem at the moment!" Rose's annoyance to her brothers showed no mercy to her loved one, and she struggled to get free. Yuro stuck his tongue out at her as he rounded the corner to head down the last flight of stairs, Jay-Jay on his tail. Finn stopped before the staircase, weakly shaking his fist in the air before slumping on the railing at the top.

"It's Christmas." He said, refusing to let go. Rose slumped in his hold, sighing.

"It may be, but that makes no difference to the fact that my brothers are going to tear up the sunroom looking for the presents." She turned her face to him, the boy smirking.

"They'll wait." Wes told her. She rolled her eyes then smiled, and he kissed her. Finn, at that moment, turned to look back up the hallway. His jaw dropped. Rose was lowered to the floor, but Wes kept his hold on not only her, but her lips. When they broke apart, Rose blushed prettily. _Now I know why Aerrow and Piper were being so coy..._

"WHEN THE HELL DID YOU TWO GET TOGETHER?!" Finn exclaimed, the two jumping lightly for they had forgotten he was there. Wes let her go, Roseate's blush now joined by a light one on Wes's face.

"Yesterday." Rose looked up to Finn, a bit unsure how to explain this to him. The blonde grinned wide.

"I knew it!" He walked up to them, the two exhaling in relief. "Tex, Mikey, and Saphire were really sure about it... but I'm the first one to witness it!" Finn laughed but then something clicked in his mind, making him stop. "Wait, if I'M the first... The when were you guys gonna tell Jay?" The question caught them by surprise.

"Today." Wes firmly answered, cursing himself for not letting his sister know sooner.

"How about after the tree and presents? The boys aren't going to wait, even if you say so." Rose looked at him, meeting his green eyes.

"Alright. But if it takes too long-"

"We'll tell her. If we can't together, I will." Rose was with him on this subject, not wanting to upset the younger sibling one bit. Finn's eyes went from one to another, baffled by the seriousness the two shared. It faded just as fast as it came, and Rose turned to Finn. "Don't tell Jay yet, or anyone else. We kinda want to let her know when WE tell her, so she doesn't think we don't care about her." Finn nodded in agreement. Footsteps from upstairs and other doors opening alerted the three to the rest of the household awakening. Saphire bolted down the stairs.

"Where are your brothers?! I'm gonna kill them." She was looking very angry and tired at the same time.

"That's MY job only, Saphire." Rose laughed. "But you can let them know I'm gonna kill 'em if you wish. I'm getting dressed." She started up the hallway; shooing people back into the rooms as if their mother. "Get dressed! The world is NOT coming to the ground. Stork, there are no man eating shoal fish here..." Wes and Finn laughed. "Get out of your PJ's and into clothes Mikey or I'm not going to let you have any of my cookies..." She rounded the stairs and disappeared from their view, still telling more people to get dressed, Saphire following.

"I love that girl." Wes smirked to Finn. The blonde smiled back, remembering the many times he himself had said that about Jay.

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The sunroom was much warmer that day, to Jay's delight. Mistletoe was hanging over the entrance, Aerrow and Piper taking full advantage of it with a chorus of hoots and whistles from the group of people. Yuro and Jay-Jay let out the loudest whistles. But when Finn and Jay shared a little kiss under the plant, Yuro yelled:

"Get a room!" Jay-Jay cackled along. Rose shook her head at the unruly behavior, but did nothing. She was tired of trying to reprimand the two, already wiped out from the argument between getting dressed. The sunroom was bright and airy, big enough to hold twenty people comfortably. And with only fourteen people and Radarr and Heron, the room was perfect for the holiday festivities. Most of the curtains were kept closed from blinding everyone with the snow outside, and the piano's cover was gone. Rose leaned on the doorway, holding back laughter as Crowe hit Tex on the head because of something he said. Wes was by the tree, trying to talk the boy's out of searching. His eyes wandered for a second, and they met Rose. She shot him a look saying: _Not so easy, huh?_

Aerrow went to Wes, the older boy giving up on the dynamic duo. He held a small box in his hand.

"Wes." The older boy turned to him. "I found something for Piper."

"When?" He asked, remembering how Aerrow had been stumped only a few days ago.

"Last night. I found it. Rose helped preserve it." Aerrow pushed him to a corner and opened the box. Wes had never seen something like that before. It was a lily of some sort, a light orange tint apparent through the ice. The ice it was encased in was delicate, hugging every fold and feature on the flower.

"How did that darn thing survive?" Wes ran a hand through his hair, stumped at the still alive look it had. "And how did Rose do this?"

"I brought it to her after you two came back from your walk. It took her awhile to do it, but she smiled and said it must take awhile for it to be special." Aerrow closed the box, grinning like a Cheshire cat, his green eyes gleaming with mirth. Wes patted him on the shoulder.

"I told you not to stress about it. And what a find, Aerrow." Wes commented, letting Aerrow return to Piper. Rose suddenly joined him by his side.

"He told you about the lily?" She smiled, her blue eyes lighting up from all the sunlight in the room. Wes nodded. "It was incredible how it was still alive. The colors of the petals are her eyes. I think that's why it caught his attention."

"Roseate!" Jay-Jay rushed to their spot, Yuro behind him. "Can we sing the carol that mom and dad sung?" His navy eyes shone with hopefulness, but Rose was hesitant. She hadn't sung it in nearly two years. But Wes pushed her forward to her brothers as if to say to go for it. Rose led the way through the room, her brothers tugging at people's hands and nudging them to listen. She sat at the piano, her light colored hands lightly brushing over the keys.

"Everyone?" Her voice echoed through the room, everyone stopping to listen. She took a deep breath, and continued. "We have a tradition in our family where we sing a special song every Christmas morning. If you want to join in, you are welcome to. It's not an uncommon song in Atmos, yet it originated here." Her brothers leaned a bit on the piano on either sides of her, the girl pressing a few keys before a melody came out clear and rich. Her brothers seemed to be waiting for her, but she was almost unwilling to begin. This was her mother's part. Rose looked at her brothers' faces, from Yuro to Jay-Jay. And she sung.

"O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining." Her voice was full and lovely, and the intricate tune gave her a foundation to build on. Wes put his arm around his sister, sadly remembering their parents teaching them the same song.

"It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!" Her brothers joined in, not on the same note, but to begin an astounding three part harmony. Crowe was so affected by the music and the three young singers that she let Tex put his hand on her shoulder without protest. Jay had one of her hands in Finns, and her shoulders wrapped in Wes's arm, and felt at peace for once in a long time. Aerrow and Piper were completely huddled together like true lovebirds, Piper holding the ice lily in her fingers.

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining." Rose began the line alone, but halfway her brothers came in again. Saphire smiled at Junko, the two seemingly lost in their own world. Heron was being petted by Mikey, who munched on a cookie and wore a smile on his face. Stork sat in a chair nearby, a light smile trying to break through the shock of this morning that he still was affected by.

"Till He appeared and the spirit felt its worth." Rose sung with more strength, taking over both the parts that she and her mother had sung together. Jay-Jay ran from his position at the piano and grabbed Wes's hand, Jay being pulled in with her brother.

"A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices," Wes sung along, his sister and Finn hesitantly following. Aerrow pushed forward, Piper being shoved with him as he started to sing. Piper turned her head up to him, smiling broadly. The two stopped singing for a moment to share a kiss, and then they started again. Mikey joined with Saphire and Junko, Tex hesitantly picking up on the words. Crowe refused to sing, afraid to embarrass herself, but Yuro looked at her from across the room with pleading eyes; she was forced to give in to her guilt and sang.

"For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn." The entire room was singing now, Rose surrounded at the piano by her family and friends. She added some notes and melodies into the song, her fingers playing along the piano, free as her heart. Her smile was pure, and she looked at her brothers, who met her glance with the same feeling of love.

"Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!" Jay stood by her brother and Finn, still hesitant to sing. It felt wrong to sing without her mother and father. And yet, she thought, Rose could overcome that. How? This girl hadn't seen or heard from her parents in two years, yet from the look on her face, she was as happy as she had ever been. Finn suddenly pulled her around a bit, Jay quite surprised. He laced their fingers together, faces close as he continued to sing.

"You're so corny..." Jay smiled, shaking her head a bit.

"No I'm not!" He commented, pretending to be offended. Jay smiled wider when he kissed her, Wes catching the sweet act in the corner of his eye. He saw Tex and Crowe close together, and could barely see Tex's hand on the other side of her waist, a very daring thing to do.

"O night divine, the night when Christ was born;" The song reached full strength, everyone in the room affected by the happiness. Even Stork, who finally decided to sing. Heron trotted up to the piano stool, tail thumping on the floor.

"O night, O holy night, O night divine!" Jay-Jay stopped singing, his part done. Yuro and Rose were the two who were singing now, Aerrow, Piper, Finn, Jay and Mikey stopping with him, a bit confused.

"O night, O holy night, O night divine!" Yuro stopped at the end of this line, Crowe, Tex, Saphire, and Junko going along with him. Stork suddenly shut his mouth, startled by the sudden lack of voices in the song.

"O night, O holy night, O night divine!" Rose was left, Wes singing until the middle of the final chorus. She let her voice trail off, the piano still going. Her eyes met Wes's, her fingers finishing the song without any thought. Jay-Jay laughed, and the entire group clapped for the three Liluoians. Yuro and Jay-Jay smiled to their sister, silently thanking her for playing the song that only she had remembered. Jay hugged her brother, Rose leaning back a bit to scratch her dog behind the ears. She turned her eyes onto the group of people she had come to call her friends. All mismatched and oddly put together. And as Piper and Aerrow shared one deep kiss, the group turning their attention on the two, Rose couldn't help but let out a hoot. Love and friendship may be something that the world if forced to hide and keep concealed to protect them, but it was definitely stronger than the hate and fear that Cyclonia was threatening the world with. And she was sure they weren't going to win; not with this group still alive.

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"The food will be done in a couple minutes!" Rose called into the sunroom, catching Jay-Jay by the back of his shirt as he tried to run by her. "Contain yourself, Jay-Jay..." She sighed and smiled at her brother, who raced back in the room where music was now playing. She headed into the kitchen, the music still audible. Roseate hummed along, a habit she was used to while cooking. Aerrow walked in, and she immediately tried to shoo him away. "I said in a couple minutes, Sky Knight!" Her laugh showed it was all in good nature, but he held his hands up as if to signify it wasn't the food he was after.

"I wanted to thank you for helping me with Piper's present. It probably would've died by now." Aerrow spit out to her, Rose turning around to take something out of the oven.

"I wouldn't say that... if it survived all winter, I think a warm room would be better... But you're welcome, Aerrow. And by guessing by that big kiss she surprised you with afterward, she liked it." Rose smirked when she got a light blushing reaction out of the boy. "I'm happy to help if you need anything else for her. Maybe something in the form of a ring someday?" She said with a light tone of amusement. "But don't get too far into the future yet. You have so much time." Rose seemed to speak out his thoughts, the Sky knight nodding.

"How do you sound so much like a mother?" He asked.

"My mother taught me well, I guess." Rose's voice lost the amused tone and turned into a tone of longing, of remembrance. "And on your way out, make sure Jay-Jay isn't around the corner. He likes to swipe a cookie or two before everyone else." Rose turned her back to him. Aerrow quickly snatched two cookies out of the bowl without her noticing. Yuro and Jay-Jay waited at the door of the sunroom, the red head swiftly handing off the cookies with a smile. Piper saw this, and left her conversation with Crowe as politely as possible; the silver haired girl telling her it was no problem. She smiled smartly at Aerrow, the boy smirking at her.

"Getting involved in the black market, are we?" She laughed. "Illegal trading?" Aerrow laughed along, and laced their fingers together, keeping them at a bit of a distance. Yuro and Jay-Jay exchanged glances and ran past the two and into the sunroom, wanting desperately to get away.

"You're not going to turn me in are you?" He whispered into her ear, Wes passing them with a roll of the eyes. Piper smiled, blushing a bit from his proximity.

"That depends. What are you going to do to stop me?" Piper kept the fire going, Aerrow loving this aspect of her personality.

"This." Aerrow stopped all other remarks with a lovely kiss. This was her... Fifth kiss from him today. One right in the morning, one under the mistletoe, another for the beautiful gift, and one when they were singing. And the love for the kisses never grew old.

"That's the sixth or seventh kiss today... Sky Knight, you need to get out of the habit of publicizing those." Tex teased, but nearly kneeled over when Crowe hit him in the back of the head again.

"Leave 'em alone, you dipstick!" Crowe reprimanded. Jay laughed with Mikey, Piper burying her face into Aerrow's collar to hide her flushing face.

Wes heard it all, and laughed as he got into the kitchen. Rose smiled from her point at the other end of the kitchen, checking on something in the oven. She pulled off her oven mitts and picked up a bowl to rinse off in the sink.

"What did Crowe do this time?" She asked, running the bowl thoroughly through the running water.

"Smacked Tex upside the head for teasing the lovebirds." Wes answered, making his way to the island counter where a couple of her cooking supplies lay.

"Piper and Aerrow?"

"Yeah. My sister and Finn aren't that cuddly." He ran a hand through his sandy hair, a bit glad that he didn't witness as many passionate moments between Jay and her lover. It was too awkward to even think about.

"At least not around you." Rose answered, switching the water off with a light laugh. Wes watched her settle next to him, and began to pack the supplies into the bowl. "Just a few minutes until I'm done with the meal. I just have to wait for the pie to finish in the oven, which shouldn't be long." She explained. Wes suddenly trapped her, putting both hands on either side of the counter space by her hips. Rose closed her eyes, placing a glass cup she was about to put into the bowl back on the island. "When I say it shouldn't be long, it means-"

"That I can steal you for a short time as you wait." Wes lightly laughed. She turned to face him in the tight circle, one of her eye brows lost in the hair that was starting to fall into her face. Rose placed her hands on the spots where his collar met his chest, leaning a bit on the counter behind her.

"We're telling Jay after I pull this pie out, right?" She asked, making sure.

"Yes. I don't want to keep this from her any longer. She's my sister; she has every right to know." Wes confirmed, his face closing in on hers. She nodded in agreement.

"You're going to ruin the pie by stalling me." Rose taunted him while losing herself in the anticipation of his kiss.

"I'll make another one if I have too." He whispered, cutting her off with a kiss. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She no longer felt any awkwardness when he kissed her, and accepted his lips openly.

At that moment, Jay, who had been going into the kitchen to ask how much longer this meal was going to take, walked into the kitchen and froze. Rose's back was to her, and her brother's eyes were closed, but she knew exactly what they were doing. She felt anger, fear, and sadness twist into her stomach like it tried to last night. Her brother was her brother, and wouldn't leave her. Not for anyone... But he was KISSING Rose. _How long were they together? Would he leave me for Rose!? Why didn't he tell me? WHY?! _ Energy built in her body, her anger coming out the strongest, and her hands lightly glowed. The second the two pulled away, Jay's energy exploded. Rose cried out when the glass cup right behind her exploded, glass shards hitting her in the back. She fell forward onto Wes, who supported her, her hands clutching his upper arms in pain. His green eyes searched the kitchen in pure surprise, baffled by her sudden cry of pain. What he saw nearly killed him.

"How could you!?" Jay screamed. "How could you leave me?!"

"What??!!" Wes was confused, but then switched to the facts. "We were just about to tell you!" Wes yelled back, Rose looking at the blonde haired girl now, biting her lip in pain.

"When?! In five years?!!" Jay snapped, and bolted out of the kitchen, Finn's heart dropping when he had heard the shatter and cry of the brown haired girl. _Damn it! One minute more! I could've stalled her!_ The rest stopped what they were doing and were lost in the wild turn of events.

"What the hell?" Saphire uttered, dashing into the kitchen with Jay-Jay and Yuro. Jay ran up the stairs, Finn about to run after her. He caught a glimpse at Wes, who had left Rose leaning on the counter to get Jay.

"I'll get her." Finn said with a tone of seriousness that didn't seem to fit him. Wes watched him leave after his sister, and after hearing a breathy pant of pain from the kitchen, he swore out loud at himself and went to Rose. He would get his sister in a few minutes. She would listen to Finn first, not him.

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What a Christmas, right? But don't worry, things will work out... I hope. Thanks again to Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire! The song they sing at the piano is: _Holy night._ And Wes, stop beating yourself up...


	9. Chapter 9: Love can bind but not break

Well! Everyone loved the last chapter:D I hope you like this one! **Chapter nine: Love can bind but not break**

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Jay ran from everyone, dashing up the stairs in a desperate attempt to get away. Finn called after her, and she ran faster, not wanting to listen to any fake logic or truths that were really lies.

"Jay! Come on!" Finn's voice showed that he was distressed, but she would not give in. "They were going to tell you today!"

"Leave me alone, Finn!" Jay didn't look back, but yelled at him with such a harsh tone it made him cringe. She noticed the door to the back of the house at her right, and took it, the wooden door nearly hitting Finn in the face. Jay flew out into the snow, the woods coming into view. Her one wish to run sustained her as her lungs burned and her legs ached to stop. The woods seemed to go on forever, and the snow started to drag her down, her speed dropping rapidly. She came to a clearing with the frozen pond, the waterfall still rushing in the distance. Something tripped her, and she fell into the snow, her light blonde hair hiding her face and fanning out into the snow. She dug her fingers into the snow, as if the cold would answer all her problems. Her limbs pulled back into her form, and she kneeled over, tears dropping into the place she once laid. Jay began to wail, letting out all her sadness, anger, and confusion in that yell that rang through the entire Terra. A flock of Spoonbill's let out startled calls and flew off over her head, some of their feathers landing around her. One gracefully twisted through the air to land in front of her, the pink feather catching her attention. It made her only turn her head away, the feather reminding her what the birds were named after. Roseate. How could she?!

"Jay?" Finn's voice made her jerk her head up and turn, her blonde hair swaying around her sorrow filled face. He walked to her, kneeling beside her as the pink feather caught a breeze and moved on. "It's not as bad as you think."

"Oh really? How in hell do you know!!?" Jay barked at him, Finn only sighing. "Wes is MY brother. Not anyone else's! Not yours, not Piper's, not Crowe's, and most certainly not **Rose's**." Rose's name was spit out with a deep hatred. "Why did she- How could he- What did I do to...?" Jay's anger was run out once again and her head sagged down. "What a Christmas huh?" Jay sobbed.

Finn put an arm around her shoulders, the two blondes sitting solemnly in a pile of snow on Christmas Day. The sun was hidden behind a think layer of clouds, a grey hue drifting over the land. Some flakes of snow floated down, the girl's sobs becoming a bit deeper.

"It's not as bad as you think." Finn repeated to her, Jay turning up to look at his face to see if there was any hint of a lie. There was none. So she let him explain.

"What do you mean? Wes is the only person left in my family." Jay almost lost her temper again, but Finn's calm face subdued it again.

"Wes is your brother. And no one in the entire Atmos could love you like him. I'm a close second but..." He lightly smiled. "You two are like, like..." Finn stalled for a moment. "Something I can't even describe, that's how close you and your brother are. I mean, he attempted to murder me when he saw us, well, together." The two shuddered at that. "And now, you pretty much murdered both Rose and Wes at the same time."

"If you're going to make me feel guilty, Finn, I'll kick your-" Jay started, a bit angry.

"NO! No I'm not. But remember when I asked you yesterday why Wes allows you to be with me? What did you say?" Finn's point was coming into place. Jay sat silently, trying to put two and two together, but her mind was still shook up that she found she couldn't. "Well, I remember. And you said, and I quote: He trusts that can balance my love between you and him." Finn let it lie so she could understand. Jay wiped a tear away, but still couldn't figure it all out. "Wes trusts you. And he trusts you because he loves you. What I'm trying to say is; do you trust him?"

"Of course. But, I don't know... This has never happened before." Jay's eyes were still deprived of that happy shine that Finn loved so much.

"But Rose has siblings right? She knows what its like; a family relationship. Do you think she would drag him away from you just because?" Finn reasoned. "And she listens to Wes. If he had a say in it, you and him would never be apart. The one reason he agreed to tell you today was not only to the fact that he needed to, but to the fact the Rose told him too."

"But love is so complicated. He can't choose between the two of us forever." Jay added as Finn became stumped at this fact. "I have a hard time choosing between you and Wes." She straitened and Finn pushed the hair behind her ears.

"And you always pick Wes because that's where you belong right now. Rose and Wes both know that. He protects you from all this craziness, and Rose is, to some extent, bound to her Terra. Your brother and Rose are so alike it scares me. Both don't have parents, have siblings they must protect, and are responsible for something very close to them. For Wes, it's you. And it will always be you. For Roseate, it's her home and brothers."

"But Finn." Jay murmured quietly. "He LOVES her. At least due to what I saw." She rolled her eyes in disgust.

"But he loves you too. There's more than one kind of love." Finn finished. "I mean, he doesn't kiss you like that, I hope!" Finn stuck a horrified face, Jay smiling for once. Finn silently triumphed.

"Eww... No Finn. No." His lover playfully pushed him.

"See what I mean? He's your brother, but he's also Rose's lover. Like you are to me. Would you deny him love?" The boy became serious again. Jay shook her head, finally understanding everything he told her. "Now, let's go back and hope Wes doesn't kill me for letting you wander this far." Finn got up and tried to pull her up to start walking, but Jay wasn't ready to face them yet.

"Not yet... In a couple minutes?" She asked. Finn sat beside her again, giving her one quick kiss.

"Of course."

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Wes saw Finn dash after Jay, calling for her to come back.

"Shoot!" Wes said under his breath, leaning on the wall. Rose's brothers and Saphire had already headed into kitchen. He finally decided to go, the rest of the group befuddled and settling in the living room or around the door. Rose may have been in bad pain, but she continued to keep a cool head and asked for things to help herself.

"Saphire, I need the bottle of water in the fridge. It's blue. Yuro, take the pie out, I'm not gonna let it burn." Rose bit her lip as a wave of pain flared up. She breathed in deep and finished. "Jay-Jay, get a plate and tweezers." She leaned back a bit, holding back a cry. Even if she seemed calm, her mind was racing and unnerved. _I'm so sorry Jay... I'm such an idiot! I knew love was too complicated for me! Damn it damn it damn it!_ The fifteen year old felt like crying. _What a Christmas..._

"Rose? You okay?" Wes's voice broke through her thoughts, the girl jerking her head up a little too fast, and her hands clutched the chair in pain.

"Does that answer you question?" Rose said a bit coldly. Wes pulled back a bit in surprise, never seeing such nippiness in her personality before. Rose noticed her mistake, the pain still speaking for her. "Sorry." Her head dipped down while her hair shielded her eyes from everyone else. Saphire put the bottle next to Rose, and decided to take care of the crowd.

"Alright! Alright! Let's go! Leave them alone! They'll fill us in later." The oldest girl ushered everyone out into the sunroom, leaving the couple with her brothers. "Did the shoal fish come back!!?" Stork's voice was frantic as the door closed, Junko starting to say something to him.

Yuro put the pie on the island and shook his hands furiously as he tried to get rid of the heat that nearly burned him. Jay-Jay handed his sister the plate and tweezers, Rose smiling at him as if nothing was wrong. Jay-Jay knew better, and left the room after Yuro. The second the sunroom door closed behind them, Rose tipped her head forward and let out a small sob. The pain was excruciating. Wes sat beside her, trying to get a response out of her.

"WES! I need a moment." Rose hissed. Wes understood, and silently let her work out her pain. The pain may have been killing her, but it was also killing the green-blue eyed boy. "I'm fine." She breathed out at last. "I need help. My shirt. Can you get it off?" Wes looked at her as if she was crazy. "I have a tank top underneath." Rose simply said.

"Oh..." Wes hesitantly reached at her waist, pulling the blue shirt up her torso, careful of the blood and shards on her back, slowly working his way up and over each one. When it finally was thrown over her head, Rose immediately reached down to roll up her tank top so her lower back was bare. She knew if she did this fast, the pain wouldn't reach her until after. Wes turned back from hanging her shirt off of a chair to see the extent of the wound his sister left. He cringed. "Do you need anything else?" He questioned, Rose shaking her head without looking at him.

"All I need is someone here." Roseate looked around for something, and Wes grabbed the blue bottle. He handed it to her. "Thank you." Rose turned around in the chair to look at him. Wes knew she had something to tell him. "The shards can only be pulled out by you. I can't reach them, and if there's any left when I heal myself, they'll be stuck under my skin." She said, feeling awful. There was one thing she hated more than being betrayed, and that was feeling helpless.

It seemed to take awhile as Wes quickly pulled out each and every shining piece, some shining with blood. He remembered when he had to help Jay with her wounds, but Rose seemed different. With Jay, he could scold her if the injury was pure carelessness or something he warned her about, or comfort her if it was real bad. But with Rose, he didn't know what to do but focus on helping her. He felt just as awful, knowing this was his fault. Rose stared off into space, letting him get each shard. Wes dropped each one in the plate she had asked for earlier.

"I'm sorry." She blurted out. Wes stopped for a second.

"You already said you were sorry. It's alright." Wes told her, sighing.

"No, not my nippiness. Jay." Rose's sentence was broken off as Wes pulled a bigger piece out of her back. She gasped, her hands gripping the chair. Wes finished with the last shard, and Rose turned back to him. "Did you hear me?" She asked lightly.

"Yeah. I'm sorry too. It's all my fault" Wes couldn't look at her, but Rose reached up to push his face back to her. Her fingers tickled his face, the sensation quite new. Her eyes met his, lighter than his sisters blue eyes, which were a deeper ocean color.

"We share the blame. It wasn't all you. We share the blame." Rose repeated to make her point, Wes shrugging. "Just like we share love." Her gentle smile was like heaven on earth to him, and it soothed him a bit. Wes brought his hand up to hold her hand on his face, smiling as well. "We can talk to Jay later when she calms down. Words said in anger are the ones that are most regretful."

"How can you be so sure?" Wes said, not letting her hand go.

"Just a feeling. It's a girl thing." This time, Rose shrugged. Wes smiled wider. "I know your sister. Not as well as you do of course, but enough. Her place is with you right now. My place is here." Her hand still was trapped on his face, Wes getting as much comfort from her as possible. Nothing like this had ever happened before, but Rose seemed to assure him that everything was okay.

"I love you." Wes startled her. "And I love my sister. She means more to me than anything. I can't leave her, even for you." The sandy haired boy's sentence was the most firm, steady sentence she had heard from him since she had met him.

"I understand." Rose replied. "And I wouldn't let you leave her for me. You're just lucky you made that choice on your own." Her smirk made his heart jump for a second. The two were at a crossroad of life, and were ready to take it. "Wes, I need my hand back please." Rose told him, and he let it go.

She opened the bottle and the water flew out as her arms bent in flowing motions. The water covered her hands in a glove like way, and she bent her shoulder blades back to feel for the wound. Once her hands met broken skin, the water glowed as if light was shining through it. Rose sighed and pushed her hands onto the cuts, some a bit deeper than others. Wes had never seen anything like this before, and took in as much as he could. Her hands ran up and down each little cut, the water forming over them like glue. When she reached the final scratch, her hands pulled apart and in less than a second, the water disappeared seemingly into her skin, leaving nothing but a perfectly unwounded surface.

"How can you do that?" Wes asked when she rolled down her black tank top.

"The crystal in my arm lets me control any source of water. Ice, snow, etc. But it also allows me to control water in the body. So I can heal wounds like when Heron was hit with a paralyzer stone." Rose smiled, but she looked a bit exhausted. "And leaves me drained for a while."

"Why is it that the two most important people in my life have some inhuman power?" Wes shook his head, and frowned again as his sister crossed his mind. Rose only rose from her seat to put away all of the things she had used and looked out the kitchen window.

"I think one of those two is coming in through the door right now." Rose turned back to him, the two a bit unsure how to handle this.

Jay and Finn walked in, the living room surprisingly silent.

"Where is everyone?" Finn asked Jay, who shrugged.

"Saphire decided we needed time alone." Wes's voice made the two turn to look into the kitchen, Rose standing behind him a bit, cautiously looking at Jay. Finn, at that moment, somehow slid away and closed the sunroom door behind him to fill in the rest of the people.

"Look, I'm sorry Jay. We should have told you first thing this morning." Rose started.

"Yeah, you should have." Jay was still bitter even if Finn had convinced her not to be. "But I should've treated you better, for Wes's sake."

"It's my fault Jay. It wasn't fair to have you walk in to us like that." Wes put in, stepping to her. "I know you think I'm going to leave you for her, but-"

"I wouldn't let him even if he wanted to." Rose lightly smiled to him, Wes giving a smile back to reassure her.

"I would never leave you, Jay. You're my sister. The most important thing to me right now." Wes told her. Jay's face twisted up and she ran to her brother, hugging him tightly, Wes hugging her back. "I could **never **love Rose the way I love you, kiddo." He whispered in her ear, Jay smiling. One of Jay's eyes caught Rose's, and Jay was surprised that no anger followed. When the siblings finally broke apart, Rose decided to tell the girl what was tugging at her mind since the incident.

"Jay." All attention was on her, the brown haired girl coming a bit closer to the two. "I-I love your brother." Rose met eyes with Wes, and went on. "But I couldn't continue to do so if I was breaking you heart." Jay was most certainly blown away with Rose's confession. _How could I stand between my brother and someone who loves him the way Finn loves me? _

"Rose. You have my brother's heart." Jay admitted with a pinch of sorrow to lose some part of Wes. "And I don't think I have the willingness the stand between you two any more." Jay took her brother's hand and Rose's, closing their palms together under hers. Wes beamed at his sister, a mix of emotions flooding between the two siblings. He then looked at Rose, and Jay could see the love racing among them. "And who knows," Jay added with a smirk. "I may have a sister someday."

Rose stiffened and turned away with a wild blush, Wes rubbing his neck with his other hand, blushing just as madly.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves here." He said, Jay grinning broadly.

She dropped their hands as Finn poked his head out from the sunroom.

"Is it all good?" He asked, seeing Wes and Rose turned away blushing and Jay beaming.

"Pretty much." Jay answered for the three of them. "It's okay, Finn." She finished a bit quieter.

"You all okay?" Piper's voice called out as well. Finn stuck his head back in and he whispered something to Piper, who practically hissed something back.

"Can we have the pie now, Rose?" Jay-Jay burst out of the door, feeling better now that every one was happy again. Yuro stood next to him, his green eyes searching his sisters face for an answer.

"Uh, yeah, Jay-Jay." Rose quickly walked to the kitchen, her brothers and some others following. Crowe leaned in next to her.

"What did you say to Wes to make him flush like that?" The violet eyed girl asked, eager to know. Jay only hummed a wedding song and followed her brother into the kitchen, happier than she had been before.

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Dear lord! Emotions! Anywho, thanks to Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire for letting me use their characters. Christmas is almost over!!!!(Wait, it IS over...)lol


	10. Chapter 10: Birds must migrate

LAST CHAPTER!! OH NO! **Chapter 10: Birds must migrate**

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"This Christmas was... Interesting." Jay commented to Finn the next morning, as he joined her at the living room window.

"A lot better than I expected, though." Finn stood behind her, the girl sitting on the window seat, her eyes turned out to the morning sky.

"I would agree with you on that except for one thing." She twisted around to look past him at her brother, who was talking to Rose and Mikey.

"It'll be fine. And besides, I kinda feel bad for him." Finn was talking about Wes.

"Why?" Jay asked, shifting back to let Finn sit beside her.

"Well, we're going through the same thing but... He isn't going to see Roseate for a couple of months at best." Finn explained. "It really sucks being away from someone you love, Jay."

"Yeah, it does..." She sighed. "Why can't I just let it lie?" Jay finished with a light laugh.

"It must run in the family." Finn said with a smirk. She playfully pushed him.

"What's going on?" Yuro came from nowhere, startling the two.

"Just chillin' for a few, little dude." Finn's response was enough for the ten year old, and Jay-Jay suddenly joined him as they went to their sister.

"Chillin'?" Piper's voice came from nowhere as well, and she and Crowe sat in the seats next to the window bench.

"Yeesh, Piper. Can't you just let things lie?" Finn smirked again, teasing Jay with the last line. He got another push as a reward.

"I honestly think I'm rubbing off of you guys." Crowe gestured to Piper and Jay, the three laughing. "Well, I think Jay's just being herself there... But Piper's way too sweet."

"I'm okay with that." Aerrow put in as he leaned over Piper's chair, the two love birds smiling.

"Rose was right; you guys are WAY too cuddly..." Wes added, the rest of the individuals coming to the living room. "I'm glad I don't see you two like that." Wes directed this comment at Jay and Finn, who smiled back.

"Don't worry; I'll drag him away if you two start." Rose got a baffling look from Wes.

"Drag him away to do what?" Tex teased, Wes and Rose turning from one another. _I love this...It's like teasing Crowe without the danger! _He thought.

"Do what? Do what?" Her brothers echoed in a sing-song voice, only making her flush more. Jay-Jay gave Wes a little push as he laughed, the older boy giving a chuckle for spite.

"Alright, guys...Seriously." Mikey broke in, the young boys stopping their little banter. "There are so many other couples you could tease. Like Tex and Crowe." Mikey smirked at Tex, his friend giving him a glare.

Rose's brothers looked at one another, a grin of realization slowly flaring on their faces. Yuro's forest green eyes turned on the silver haired girl, Jay-Jay's navy blue eyes on Tex.

"Don't you start..." Rose scolded. Heron let out a small bark as if to agree.

Stork peeked out of the kitchen, a surgeon's mask on his face. Junko cocked an eyebrow and tried to pull it off.

"Stork? Come on, there's nothing wrong with the air-" The wallop started.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!" He cried, yanking away. "THIS LOVE VIRUS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND! THE ONLY OTHER PERSON WHO HASN'T GOTTEN IT IS MIKEY!!!"

"Hmm. He has a point there, Mikey." Crowe commented. Aerrow and Saphire exchanged a look of amusement. Stork went to the door.

"If you need me, I'll be in the _Condor._ Waiting to leave." The Merb closed the door, and then opened it again. "No offense, Rose." She shook her head to signify it was alright. He left.

"Well, he does have a point again. We gotta go." Piper pointed out.

"Yeah... My brother wants me back by tonight. He'll kill me if I don't get home. Even though he'd probably like more time with Starling." Saphire said while grinning.

Everyone laughed along, and got ready to go. The Thank you's and Good luck's were shared all around, but the only four who were really bothered by the split were Wes, Rose, Jay, and Finn. Jay knew she wouldn't be away from Finn for long; the Storm Hawks were seemingly running into her team almost every week. Maybe more, but she wasn't sure.

Saphire left first, to be sure that her brother wouldn't be able to kill her for being late this time. The Storm Hawks, Silver Falcons, and Rose's family stood outside, getting ready to leave but not yet. Wes turned back to the door step, his team behind him.

"Well, I guess this is good bye for now." Wes glanced at her, green and blue meeting like many times before. Chance had brought them together, and was now going to keep them apart for a while.

"Yes. I guess so." Rose simply replied, her voice showing her disappointment. She stood silent on the wide stone step, her brothers on either side of her. Then, a bit slowly, she removed the deep blue crystal on her neck. It lay in her hand, the silver chain shining in the sun. Her hand closed on the blue stone, and she grabbed out suddenly for his hand. Wes jerked back a bit, surprised by her action. Her lighter toned hand dropped the crystal and its chain in his rough palm. Her slender fingers closed his hand over it, and he now held the end of her fingers and the stone in his grasp.

"Keep it. It will remind you of me. It was my mother's." Rose ignored Yuro's little tugs at her arm in protest.

"I couldn't take it." Wes pushed his hand closer to her, but she stopped him. Both of her hands clutched his firmly, a strong hold for such slim hands.

"Keep it." She repeated. "I need you to."

"Okay. Thank you." He finally, weakly, replied just to keep her happy. Jay saw the desire in her brothers eyes, as well as Roseate's. Finn's hand squeezed hers. She sighed, some of her blonde hair falling into her face.

"You know, you guys can kiss if you want. It's not like I'm going to stop you." Jay surprised everyone with her acceptance. Finn smiled at her, assuring her she had done something good. Wes tensed a bit, and eyed Rose. His heart was begging to kiss her, but his brain was still thinking of Jay. Then Jay looked him square in the eye, something only she could do, and nodded.

"Well then." Wes said, looking back at Rose. Her eyes were still on his sister, and he smiled. The two teams hooted in approval as he suddenly yanked her in by her waist, and kissed her deeply. She froze in his grasp, hearing her brothers' laugh and whistle. Rose then gave up to what she really wanted to do, and pulled him in closer by holding both sides of his face, her fingers slightly brushing his dirty blonde hair and tickling his ears. The two were trapped in a bittersweet moment. Rose knew he would come back some day, but until then, her heart would be lost with him. The wind kicked up, her brown hair shielding their faces from everyone else. She could no longer breathe, and pulled away. Wes gazed at her sadly, holding her to him.

"I'll be back." He whispered.

"I know. But it doesn't mean I can't miss you." Roseate uttered, feeling the crystal in his hand that was pressed to her back. "Be safe."

"Okay, okay, enough mushy crud!" Jay-Jay laughed from behind the two, Wes releasing her and putting the blue stone onto his neck, tucking it under his shirt. It rested a bit lower than it did on her.

"You'll be right here." He patted his heart. "Next to Jay, of course." The two women of his life smiled.

"Your heart's big enough for both of us, I'm sure." Rose smiled, her blue eyes lighting up from the sun and her hair catching a bit in the winter breeze. Wes imprinted her face in his memory, everything from the brown fur lined jacket that she held close to her face, to the pink tint of her cold cheeks.

"Goodbye, Roseate." Wes's hand fell from hers, and his team followed him to their ship.

"Bye, Wes." Her light voice was whisked up into the breeze and to his ears, her lover smiling. Little did he know that his face was imprinted in her mind as well. Not the last glimpse, but the first, when he first looked her in the eye on that fateful day when she and her brothers almost lost their lives.

"Wow Wes." Crowe said as soon at they reached the ship. "I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Had what? The ability to kiss someone?" He was a bit confused.

"Yes. And no..." She walked on, Wes slowly getting it.

"HEY! It takes a long time to find the perfect person!" Wes defended himself. "But not as long as it took you and Tex to **finally** fess up!" Mikey and Jay burst out laughing behind the now self-satisfied boy. Tex slumped his shoulders... Rose's brothers were rubbing off on his leader.

The Storm Hawks waved good-bye the Silver Falcons, the snow swirling around them. Rose shielded her eyes, the sun bursting from behind the _Osprey._ Heron ran out into the small tornado of snow, barking and nipping at the flying drifts. The remaining teens laughed.

"We better get going as well...Cyclonia will probably take advantage of everyone recovering from the holidays." Aerrow started as soon as the Silver Falcons disappeared from view. "Thanks again, Rose." He shook her hand.

"No problem. If you ever need some where to rest, there are a lot of places to land here!" Rose put in.

"Bye!" Piper chirped and hugged her good friend. Finn gave a look to Aerrow: _They hug goodbye too?!_

"Junko, make sure Stork doesn't suffocate himself with anymore masks." The brown haired girl also added as the team started off for the _Condor. _

"Can do!" Junko waved, Rose's brothers running off with their sky boards.

She watched the last Team head off, Heron, who was out of breath, sitting by her. Rose saw her brothers go for a joy ride on their sky boards, taking off towards the waterfall. The girl patted Heron on the head, her fingers twisting into his snow covered fur. She put her other hand to her lips, still tingling from Wes's kiss.

"What a Christmas, eh Heron?"

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Wow... the story is over! I'm kinda sad... But happy I got a story to go this long!!! One big and final thanks to Jazzy Pony and DevilsAngelSaphire! And thanks for reading!


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